REVscene Automotive Forum - Solicitor General John van Dongen loses driver's licence over speeding tickets

Vancouver – Public Safety Minister John van Dongen has had his driver’s licence suspended after racking up too many speeding tickets.

In a statement released Friday, the minister accepted full responsibility for his driving behaviour.

“I fully recognize the importance of public safety and compliance with the law on our roads,” the statement said. “The law applies equally to me as it does to everyone else and I strongly support that.”

The minister has asked Premier Gordon Campbell to re-assign responsibility for the Office of the Superintendent of Motor Vehicles (OSMV) and the Insurance Corporation of B.C.

“While I am not currently involved in any active decisions as minister with respect to these agencies, I feel it is important that both my actions and this latest decision do not have any detrimental impact on public confidence in either ICBC or OSMV,” the minister’s statement said.

Van Dongen recently received a letter from the Office of the Superintendent of Motor Vehicles giving notice of a driving prohibition due to speeding tickets.

“As soon as I received the letter, I acted immediately and accepted the temporary prohibition," the minister's statement said. "I will not be appealing the decision and have mailed my driver’s license to the OSMV.”

He added:” I fully understand and accept responsibility for my driving behaviour and believe it is my duty to fully and completely comply with the decision.”

When he filled out The Vancouver Sun's survey for all candidates running in the provincial election, van Dongen said he drove a F-150 Ford pickup truck. He also said he had "significantly" reduced his carbon footprint in the last year by spending less time in his truck.

"Less driving, more cycling, using transit more frequently, carpooling when possible, turning off the lights and lowering thermostats," he said.

Van Dongen, who is running for re-election in Abbotsford South, said he used last year's $100 carbon tax rebate "towards the cost of auto fuel."

He also chose transportation as the third most important issue - after the economy and crime - facing people in his riding.

"[I] will work closely with local government, federal government and citizens to plan and fund new transit and transportation investments," he said.

At a campaign stop in Cranbrook on Friday evening, New Democratic Party leader Carole James called on John van Dongen to resign immediately as minister of public safety and solicitor general.

"John van Dongen, in his role as the top cop for British Columbia, has a unique position. I think it's important that he resign," she said.

"I think Gordon Campbell needs to remove him from that position. I think there is a special privilege being in that position in British Columbia."

With a file from Jonathan Fowlie and Lori Culbert
http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Sol...850/story.html