|
traffic law news from our friends to the north
- English-only traffic sign ruled illegal
Toronto — A justice of the peace has ruled that a "no left turn" sign in Toronto is unenforceable because it is not written in both English and French.
The ruling Monday by Justice Alice Napier could result in thousands of traffic tickets being dismissed.
Lawyer Jennifer Myers argued that a traffic sign near Bay and Dundas streets violated the Highway Traffic Act and the French Languages Service Act because it was not in both official languages.
Napier agreed at a night court hearing Monday, and threw out a ticket issued to Myers for making an illegal left turn.
Myers does not speak French.
Daniel Brown, a law student who represented her in court, said Myers' victory could prove expensive for the city of Toronto.
"Certainly there will be some cost consequences," Brown said. "They will have to update every traffic sign to correspond with the French Languages Services Act."
Mayor David Miller said Tuesday that the city would appeal the decision.
George Bartlett, director of prosecutions for the city of Toronto, said a provision of the Highway Traffic Act that requires French-language signs does not apply because city council never approved it.
Bartlett also said that a decision by a justice of the peace would not set a precedent that invalidates other tickets issued on the basis of English-only signs.
CBC Toronto
__________________
“It was fortunate that so few men acted according to moral principle, because it was so easy to get principles wrong, and a determined person acting on mistaken principles could really do some damage." - Larissa MacFarquhar
|
