British Columbia's top cop will be hitching rides for the rest of the election campaign.
Public Safety Minister John van Dongen announced Friday that his driver's licence has been suspended for speeding.
The lead-footed Liberal cabinet minister said he got a letter from the Office of the Superintendent of Motor Vehicles notifying him of the suspension.
Van Dongen said he mailed his driver's licence in to the office and won't be appealing the decision.
"I fully understand and accept responsibility for my driving behaviour and believe it is my duty to fully and completely comply with the decision," van Dongen said in a statement.
"I fully recognize the importance of public safety and compliance with the law on our roads. The law applies equally to me as it does to everyone else and I strongly support that."
The minister, whose responsibilities include the Insurance Corp. of B.C. and the Office of the Superintendent of Motor Vehicles, said he's asked the premier to assign another minister responsibility for the Crown auto insurance company or the motor vehicles branch.
The government announced Friday that the two departments had been transferred to the Labour Ministry, effective immediately.
Premier Gordon Campbell said the suspension was probably embarrassing for his minister and admitted that van Dongen's penchant for putting the pedal to the metal caught him by surprise.
"I don't know about everyone's driving record. If we said to people 'if you have any driving infractions you're not eligible to run for office,' we'd have a pretty small legislature," Campbell told reporters.
He commended van Dongen for being up front and protecting the integrity of his ministry.
"It's not like he hasn't paid his tickets. He's done that," Campbell said.
Drivers get a warning letter if they rack up nine to 14 driving demerit points, said Mark Jan Vrem, manager of media relations for the Insurance Bureau of British Columbia. After that, it's an escalating series of driving bans.
"Fifteen to 19 points will trigger a prohibition that runs from three to 12 months, 20 to 24 points the prohibition is from four to 18 months and 25 to 49 points is five to 24 months," Vrem said. "Also, if you get two convictions for excessive speeding (40 kilometres over the limit), that'll also trigger a driving prohibition that can range from three to 18 months."
Vrem said speeding drivers also must pay more to renew their licences and have a driver's risk premium added to their auto insurance.
Van Dongen, who represents the Abbotsford-Clayburn riding, is seeking his fifth election victory in the May 12 vote.
Dene Moore reports for The Canadian Press.
LOL
Good thing for "two fish Van Dongen" he's running in Abbotsford-Clayburn. He'd win that riding even if he was caught in the street dancing naked in the moonlight.
drunk drivers and
ministers responsible for ICBC and the Superintendant of Motor Vehicles, as well as homophobic candidates.
When are the voters in this province going to wake up and see the incredibly disgusting double standards constantly put forward by these BC Libs?
The Speedsters....
1. Socred Highways Minister from the 1960's "Flyin'" Phil Gaglardi... "I wanted to check out the curves on my new highways, officer".
2. NDP cabinet minister Moe Sihota... "Flyin'" Moe. Rock 101 CFMI even made a spoof parody song based upon the 1979 hit "My Sharona" by the Knacks called "Moe Sihota".
Remember that one. Too funny.
3. John van Dongen... "Flyin'" John. At least he publicly admitted the suspension during the campaign. He didn't have to. Kudos to him for bein' honest.
I do hope, though, that Rock 101 CFMI will also do a similar "Moe Sihota" parody. That would add some humourous life into the campaign. :D
speeding minister
and we are also speeding to economic disaster with these CONLIBS.!!! fisher
I wonder what he thought he was flying?
Because I do believe it going to be by the seat of his pants during the next election. Its like making lite of a drunken premier who is into the calorie saving booze. As children watch BC endorse their booze loving premier and can't wait for their shot at the job. Only they think they will make the better drunk? What do you think? Is it really okay that politicians who are responsible for the safety of our roads to be a hazard on them himself?????
I still wonder what he was flying on or what he thought he was flying as he takes his car on a joy ride endangering the life's of British Colombians. Something the Liberals are committed to no doubt.
Geez Luke!
When will you quit minimizing the poor performance and unethical behaviours of the Liberal government. For crying out loud, Luke, he's the Minister of public safety! Can't you see what a joke he is. The fools in Abbotsford-Clayborn had better smarten up. If he is willing to act so dangerously publicly, what's he willing to do behind closed doors?
Luke...
Rather pathetic of you to minimize this behavior. What's more pathetic is your parroting Baldrey's line form the 6 O'Clock news.
Drunk Driving
And the CBC uncovered a drunk driving charge against Victoria Swan Lake BC Liberal Jesse McClinton.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/bcvotes2009/story/2009/04/24/bc-election-candidate-conduct.html
He says he will not step down because it was a "youthful indescretion"!!!!
What was he going to say, Luke?
After the 'racy' photos were brought out by the Libs, the CBC checked into both party's vetting of candidates. Along with the apalling record of Laura MacDiarmid, they came up with the goods on Van Dongen. You can spin it any way you want - self-delusion seems to be a specialty. But don't expect us to swallow that Van Dongen 'publicly admitted' to his Terrible Personal Mistake (just like Gordo!).
He was confronted by the press and 'fessed up before he was outed. Some integrity!
Luke
[EDITED. -MODERATOR.]
Wonder how Carole is taking this?
After all she made Mabel Elmore apologize for saying "Zionist" years ago. Then Ray Lam had to step down for some "private" photos of him partying.
Carole sure does not support her candidates.
Campbell is a convicted drunk driver, candidate Jesse Mcclinton has a drunk driving charge according to post from VicRK, now John van Dongen had to turn in his licence and he is the Public Safety Minister!
I wonder how Mabel Elmore and Ray Lam are feeling tonight?
can you imagine the torrent
can you imagine the torrent of abuse if it was a bc ndp?
Campbell Wears a What?
So every day, when I drive down Hwy 99 or Hwy 1 or...
And 8 out of every 10 cars exceeds the speed limit...
Am I now to assume that the 2 vehicles that obey the speed limit are New Democrats????
How sanctimonious!
Moe Sihota.. Ya readin' this? :D
Damage Control:
Do you know what that is????
Thats when an Elected offical or one of their party members is misquoted or misinterpeted for comments that were not intended to be taken in the direction but an election on and these are journalists.
What do you do in a case like this you stand behind your people as to ensure feathers aren't to ruffled?? Remember this is a political race and there is a certain amount of dipolmacy and public understanding that is required of the job and more so during an election and she also owes it to other party members.
Even though some would never have guessed it that parties members that stick together stay together longer.
focus on the present, luke
I know it's hard Luke, but you need to focus on the present. Van Gongan is the bad guy in this article. Same of tctics Moe. Always minimizing the Liberals' behaviours always maximizing the behaviours of people who are no longer in office. Luke, you gotta start living in the present. Your delusional hyperbolisms are beyond the any belief. Get some ethics buddy - you are cheering for the wrong team. Life is too short to spend your days spinning lies. Those who do spend their lives lying end up in dispair, unless of course they have a disorder worthy of several pages in the DSM4-TR.
Now it is time to go screaming to the MSM about the poor character of the Liberals. These speeding and drinking and driving stories deserve lots of media attention. Come on Palmer, Smyth et. al. Get on it!
Sticking Together
This is where the NDP Leader gets behind the misunderstood MLA and they do their damage control and hope that others realize that no harm was meant.
Its politics you know.
But the slant some journalists put to it you would never know for sure or maybe they don't and thats kinda sad.
This Election's Gonna Be A Mud Slinger...
2 New Democrats with a bunch of speeding tickets and a 2 Libs, one with a drunk driving charge and the other with driving infractions:
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/bcvotes2009/story/2009/04/24/bc-election-candidate-conduct.html
Who said a BC election was not akin to bloodsport? :)
Looks like Jane Sterk's gonna be the eventual beneficiary on May 12.
Luke are you there?
Are any of these candidates the Minister for Public Safety on the roads?????
Because if they are they should be fired.
And SharingisGood behind closed doors
Which I'm sure just about wraps up the Liberal party as if a public safety minister has no respect for the very highways he governs over then BC has already lost with that statement. And behind closed doors is how BC Liberals conduct public affairs which is another statement that has loser written all over it.
Because who else would let anyone run their affairs while keeping them in the dark???While stories of big payments to Liberal contacts become daily news as Judy, Judy not only gets a premiers payoff she is still on the payroll.
Don't get me wrong
Frank - there is no support from me for Van Dongen.
But exactly what is wrong with dancing naked in the moonlight?
I suspect I might feel a little friendlier towards the guy if he could exhibit that degree of freedom and happiness...
Here's to naked moonlight, harmless fun!
VivianLea
You're right, I apologize to all naked dancers for lumping them together with Van Dongen.
Luke......
Von Dongen got excessive speeding tickets,all those you mention still have their licenses........
But not Von Dongen,he got his license YANKED FOR EXCESSIVE SPEEDING.....
I have never had a speeding ticket in my entire life,and I regularily drive 5 to 10 kms over the limit.--85km in a 80km zone---95km in a 90 km zone...
Von dongen got excessive speeding tickets,lots of them,and how many times was he let go? Lots--Von Dongen doesn`t learn his lesson.....
I apoligize for cursing you out LUKE(name Calling) it doesn`t solve anything, but.......
Cmon on man! My sister spent 4 months in a hospital from a "excessive speeder" who plowed into the side of my sisters car.
Stop minimizing Von Dongen,he should step down as solicitor General and take up his new job as "special advisor to Translink" for after the next 6 months of riding on rural busses he might have some valuable input.....
or do we tax payers have to pay 50 thousand dollars for someone to drive Von Dongen around!
Vaughn Palmers take......
Several excessive speeding tickets(over 40 kms over the speed limit)
http://www2.canada.com/vancouversun/columnists/story.html?id=aada25f0-0eb3-480c-b80f-08ae0759c184
How will he vote?
If he gave up his driver's licence, then he will need another ID with a photo on it so he can vote. BC Liberals all hope he has a passport.