Consultation on ride-hailing bylaw inadequate, rushed: Sikh groups

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This article was published 13/12/2017 (3158 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Two Sikh organizations have complained that city hall’s proposed taxi/ride-hailing bylaw discriminates against its community members.

The Sikh Society of Manitoba and the Canadian Sikh Society sent letters to all members of council Tuesday, calling on council to reject the proposal at today’s meeting and to reconsider the bylaw provisions.

“The Sikh Society of Manitoba is writing to express our support to local taxi industry and its drivers who are either of Sikh faith or members of other minority groups,” wrote Sukhdev Singh Brar, president of the organization. “We have been apprised this process (new taxi industry regulation) has been rushed through government with little consultation. This news is very distressing and we are concerned that this process is negligent of members’ interests and that their voices have not been properly heard.”

The national organization raised similar concerns.

“We write to you, and to all of City Council, to express our full support for the taxi industry in Winnipeg, Unicity Taxi, Duffy’s Taxi and the Winnipeg Community Taxi Coalition ahead of Wednesday’s critical vote that could devastate the industry as you introduce new ridesharing regulations,” wrote Simran Chattha, past chair and director of the Canadian Sikh Association. “The manner in which these rules are being rushed and on which the consultations have occurred have been nothing short of draconian….Mr. Mayor and respected City Councillors, please vote NO to the regulations on Wednesday.”

Council will vote on the proposed Vehicles For Hire bylaw later today but delaying the vote seems an unlikely outcome.

Mayor Brian Bowman and members of his executive policy committee met behind closed doors Monday and hammered out an agreement on a new set of amendments to the bylaw, almost guaranteeing the provisions will be passed today.

aldo.santin@freepress.mb.ca