Request to Ministers Denis Landry (Transportation) and Roland Hache (Education) for a Test MFAV from the government fleet

This is the "urgent" letter we sent to the Minister of Education requesting a test vehicle to use at Continental Tires' testing facility in northern Michigan.

To: EDCommunications (ED); Kilfoil, Valerie (ED)
Cc: General Inquiry, Information Générale (DPS/MSP); Kenny, Hon. Brian
(SD/DS); Landry, Denis Hon. (DOT/MDT); Graham, Shawn
Subject: URGENT: Bathurst Mothers Request Test Vehicle for Scientifict
Testing in Michigan in January

Hon. Roland Hache, Minister of Education

December 16, 2009

Dear Mr. Hache:

We are writing to ask your permission to use one of the 21 passenger MFAVs in the Department of Education's fleet for scientific testing at Contintental Tires' state of the art testing facility in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.

As you know, the issue of what type of tires to use on the Bathurst High School's 21 passenger MFAV has been a bone of contention since we discovered in October that the vehicle was outfitted with all season tires in the front and winter tires in the back. This is contrary to the opinion of Canada's leading tire experts including Nigel Moritimer of Transport Canada and John Mahler of Wheels Magazine, who have stated publicly that these type of vehicles need winter tires all around.

Earlier this month, were were put in in touch with Continental Tires, one of the world's largest tire manufacturers and a leader in the tire industry. Joerg Burfien, Director, Continental Tire North America, Inc. R&D - The Americas, has proposed that
Continental Tire would be prepared to conduct tire tests from January 11-12.13-14-15-16, 2010 of various fitments on a MFAV 21 passenger mini-bus of the type used in Bathurst, NB, but there is one catch: it needs a vehicle to test.

We thought we had a vehicle so we did not approach anyone else, but today is the deadline and we still have not been able to confirm whether we can use that vehicle or not. That is why we are asking you as the Minister of Education to allow us to use one of the 21 passenger MFAVs in your fleet for the test in January.

We can work out the details later. All we need is a yes or no by tomorrow morning. If it's "no", we've lost the only chance we have to conduct a free scientific test by Continental. We have to let Continental know one way or the other by the end of the day today, or tomorrow morning at the latest.

Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.

If you have any questions about Continental's testing, please contact Jay Spears at XXX-XXX-XXXX (cel) or John Mahler at XXX-XXX-XXXX.


Yours sincerely,





Isabelle Hains
Marcella Kella
Ana Acevedo

cc.
Valerie Kilfoil, Communications Director, Department of Education
Premier Shawn Graham
Denis Landry, Minister of Transportation
John Foran, Minister of Public Safety
Brian Kenny, Minister of Minister of State for Seniors / Minister
responsible for Community Non-Profit Organizations
John Mahler, Wheels Magazine