Exhibit #2 From the Coroners Inquest, Invoice 106038 From Hatheway Ford Maintenance Records for the 15 Passenger Van

Click on the image of the Hatheway Ford Maintenance Record 106038 for the 15 passenger van in which our sons were killed to see a larger version that you can read and print out.



This is the same invoice 106038 that we put up previously (Click here to see Exhibit #1) except that it is the hand written version with the word STAT across the top.

The only difference between #2 and #1 is the dates are reversed 16 Nov 2007 07:43 and the mileage is written in by hand at 312804.

Exhibit # 1 From the Coroners Inquest

Click on the image of the Hatheway Ford Maintenance Record 106038 for the 15 passenger van in which our sons were killed to see a larger version that you can read and print out.



We decided to show the public the exhibits from the Coroners Inquest because we think it is important that people know why our sons were killed.

To quote from Transport Canada's Collision Investigation Report, authored by Frank Wilson of University of New Brunswick, there were three main causes of the tragic collision, one of which was the "poor mechanical condition" of the E350 passenger van.

"Poor mechanical condition of the E350 resulting from inadequate vehicle maintenance appears to be a major contributing factor in the crash. There were multiple mechanical issues, ranging from loose front ball joints to a broken rear brake cable. The most critical maintenance issue with respect to this crash was that the E350 was equipped with misaligned, worn and improperly inflated all-season tires. The handling of the E350 on the slush and snow covered road would have been significant better had the vehicle been equipped with properly inflated and aligned winter tires that had adequate tread depths."

Click here to read Transport Canada's Collision Investigation report, from July 28, 2009.

Exhibit One: Hatheway Ford maintenance Record 106038 Dated November 19, 2007

This exhibit tells us a few things.

1. On Monday, January 14, two days after the collision, somebody requested - presumably the insurance company - and someone at Hatheway Ford printed out the maintenance records for the passenger van in which our sons were killed.

2. The vehicle was brought into Hatheway Ford's garage on November 15, 2007 for maintenance. Interestingly, the vehicle had just been in the shop on November 2, and two days before that had passed a Motor Vehicle Inspection after first failing it on October 29, 2007. Within days its back in the garage to install a two inch ball and retainer clips, and on November 15, it's back in the garage for $600.26 worth of maintenance.

3. The vehicle was taken out of Hatheway Ford's garage on November 19, 2007. To us this means that the vehicle sat in the Hatheway Ford garage for four days and nobody noticed that it had worn, scalloped tires that were in dire need of replacement.

4. Mileage. The mileage recorded for the van on the last day it was in the shop was 312804. On the date of the collision the mileage was 316226, a difference of 3674 kms from November 19 to January 12, 2008. When you consider that there was no school for the Christmas holidays and the vehicle was not even being used, that means in the span of less than six weeks Bathurst High School put nearly 4000 kms on this vehicle with worn, scalloped tires and a host of other deficiencies as noted in the Collission Investigation report.

Next Maintenance Record for November 2, 2007 in which a two inch ball and retainer clips were installed on the van.

We Are Pleased to Announce We Have a MFAV: Testing Will Proceed in Michigan, February 22

Three Bathurst mothers who have been asking the government for the loan of a 21 passenger MFAV are pleased to announce that they have acquired a test vehicle from Girardin Minibus in Quebec and will proceed with independent tests of tires in Michigan next month.

Isabelle Hains, Marcella Kelly and Ana Acevedo say a number of companies and individuals have stated their firm support of the testing and it will go ahead the week of February 22.

Girardin Minibus of Quebec has donated the usage of a vehicle for the purpose of testing.

Ron Campbell, Sales Manager of MicroBird by Girardin Inc., says his company "wants to be involved."

"We're interested in utmost safety," says Mr. Campbell.

Continental Tires, one of the world's largest tire manufacturing companies, has offered free testing at its state of the art facility in Sault Ste. Marie Michigan.

Jay Spears, Technical Product Manager for Continental Tires said, "We look forward to this testing. It will show what is the best case scenario for these school vehicles. We are doing this without any agenda, the testing data will tell us everything."

Loblaws is supporting the mother's efforts by paying for the vehicle's transportation from Quebec to Michigan and back.

Inge van den Berg, Senior Vice President Corporate Affairs, said "Loblaws is providing funding to enable the testing to be conducted and hopefully help answer the questions that so many people have regarding the appropriate tire use for MFAVs. Loblaws is not involved in commenting on the validity of the testing nor is it speaking on behalf of the testing," she said.

A financial contribution from a New Brunswick supporter who wishes to remain anonymous will help defray some additional expenses.

The three Bathurst mothers say all they are interested in is "a fair, honest test that answers a very important question about school transportation safety."

They say they are willing to accept whatever the scientific tests conclude.

"When it comes to children's safety, there should be no doubt about what type of tires belong on these 21 passenger MFAVs" they say.

Veteran automotive journalist John Mahler of the Toronto Star's Wheels.ca adds,

"I am very happy that these ladies have persevered and got this test arranged. It will finally show what tires are safest for school vehicles. And their drive speaks to the power of individuals over government obstinancy."

Why We Do What We Do, and Why We'll Never Stop

We've heard some people question the reason why we continue to raise the issue of our sons' deaths two years ago this January 12.



Our sons Javier, Nikki and Daniel and all the other Boys in Red are the reason why we will continue to fight for road safety. We don't want another family to go what we have gone through in the last two years.



We will never stop until we know that the vehicles transporting school children to extra curricular events are as safe as they can possibly be.



If it means that we have to fight the Province of New Brunswick, all the way from the Premier Shawn Graham, to the Minister of Education Roland Hache, the Minister of Transportation Denis Landry and the Minister of Public Safety, John Foran, the District 15 Superintendent John McLaughlin and the Principal of Bathurst High School as well as all the other adminstrators and bureaucrats in the Departments of Transportation and Education, than so be it.



We will not rest until our boys can Rest in Peace. They may be GONE, but they WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN and their deaths will not have been in vain.

Province's Spin Doctors in Overdrive Trying to Convince NB They're Actually Doing Something

So the provincial spin doctors have the communications machine in super spin cycle trying to convince the public and the media that New Brunswick is actually going to do something about testing the tires on the Department of Education's fleet of 21 passsenger MFAVs. (That's Minister Roland Hache and his Communications Director Valerie Kilfoil behind him at the announcement on Friday. Photo: Telegraph Journal, January 16, 2010, page 3.)

Don't be fooled. These people are experts at trying to turn a sow's ear into a silk purse.

The only thing that happened on Friday is that the province of New Brunswick announced that Transport Canada has said it's "considering" testing. That's great, but it's a far cry from an actual test.

Here's what Transport Canada actually said:

The Government of New Brunswick (Department of Transport) has contacted Transport Canada, and we are currently determining how to assess the most appropriate combination of tires for multi-functional activity vehicles during the cold season.

Transport Canada is currently examining the option of physical testing of the Multi-Functional Activity Vehicles (MFAV's) and is pleased that the Government of New Brunswick has agreed to participate. Transport Canada will make all information available to the public once it becomes available.

While we have every confidence in Transport Canada, we want to know when the testing is going to take place and if the results will be available for this season. Winter tires are supposed to be on all school vehicles until April 30. The province is still using those 21 passenger MFAVs to transport children to extra curricular events in spite of Friday's announcement about Transport Canada. After everything that happened to our children, how can the Minister of Education allow innocent school children to be transported in these vehicles when there is so much doubt about the safety of its tire fitments?

Like A Seinfield Show: An Announcement About Nothing

The announcement on Friday reminds us of a Seinfield show: it's an announcement about nothing. The province of New Brunswick isn't going to do anything except loan one of its 21 passenger MFAVs to Transport Canada if it ever gets to that point. We've been asking for a vehicle for over a month now for the tests we have arranged at Continental Tire in Michigan. On Friday, the Minister of Transportation said NO.

"I will not be granting your request for the use of one of our MFABs for testing." Click here to read letter from the Minister, January 15, 2010.

Meantime, we noticed that the Minister has started to call these 21 passenger MFAVs "buses", in direct contradiction to his own School Transportation Regulations which state that only yellow school buses can be called "buses".

School Bus as defined in the Pupil Transportation Regulation means a school vehicle that is a bus, is painted national school bus yellow and is equipped with a warning system.

And in Policy 512, it goes so far to say in Section 6.7:

"So as not to be confused with school buses, student extra-curricular activity vehicles cannot be painted predominantly yellow. Yellow may be used for logos and trim but shall not exceed 10% of the painted surface."

One might say we're just being sticklers for detail, but it's details like that which are part of the "process" the Department of Education's Communications Director Valerie Kilfoil kept citing as the reason why the Department of Education and Transportation couldn't tell us whether the province would loan us a vehicle or not.

Province Down to One Expert: Michelin Tires Clarifies Position, Goodyear "Opinion" from Retired Employee. That Leaves David Hoar of Motion Design

We question the government's insistence that it has three experts who agree that mixed tires are best on 21 passenger Multi-Function Activity Vehicles (MFAVs). We think the media and the public should be aware that since Michelin Tire has clarified its position on winter tires (see below) - and we've found out that the other "expert" is actually a retired Goodyear employee - the NB Departments of Education and Transportation are down to one "expert": a Fredericton based engineer with Motion Design Assoc. who is paid by the province for his opinion.

(Speaking of which, we've been trying to find out how much he was paid for his opinion and made a Right to Information request on January 5 to that effect. No response yet. Click here to read our posting on that issue.)

In a statement released Friday to veteran automotive journalist John Mahler, Transport Canada and the Rubber Tire Association of Canada, Michelin clarified its position on winter tire use as related to the MFAV questions we have raised since finding out that Bathurst High School's 21 passenger MFAV had mixed tires, four winter tires on the back and two all seasons in the front.

The safety conscious tire company reiterated the message of winter tires on all axles including dual rear wheel vehicles. On "vehicles with 6 tire positions, Michelin recommends to use winter tires in all positions to provide the optimum balance of performance and overall vehicle stability."

"So New Brunswick's Ministry of Education is down to only two sources who endorse their tire choices, a local consultant, David Hoar and a letter written by a retired Goodyear engineer compared to 14 experts who oppose their choice," says journalist John Mahler of the Toronto Star's Wheels.ca.

Click here to read the official clarification of its winter tire opinion by Michelin Tires.

Michelin Tires Clarifies its Position on Winter Tires on Friday

Laval, January 13, 2010

Michelin North America (Canada) Inc. wants to clarify its position on the tires to be used on Class 1, Class 2 and some Class 3 light truck vehicles (see chart on page 2) for safe driving during the winter.

For Class 1, Class 2 and some Class 3 vehicles equipped with four tires, we reiterate our recommendation to use winter tires on all wheel positions.

For Class 1, Class 2 and some Class 3 dual drive vehicles with 6 tire positions, Michelin recommends to use winter tires in all positions to provide the optimum balance of performance and overall vehicle stability. However, some Canadian fleets are using winter tires (4) only on the drive axle, which could prevent potential oversteer. From observations of these fleets, we believe this is permissible.

Michelin North America (Canada) Inc.

Michel Boutin

Michelin Amérique du Nord (Canada) inc.
Michelin North America (Canada), Inc.

3020, Avenue Jacques-Bureau T : 450-978-4700
Laval (Québec) Canada www.michelin.ca
H7P 6G

Statement To the Media Following NB Department of Education Announcement that Transport Canada is "considering" tire tests

Bathurst Mothers Still Plan Own Tests: Say "Inexecusable" They Had to Be Informed by Media of Department of Education's Announcement, Michelin Tire Clarifies Position

(Bathurst, NB - January 15, 2010) - Three Bathurst mothers who fought for scientific testing of the tires used on the New Brunswick Department of Education's fleet of Multi Function Activity Vehicles (MFAVs) are claiming victory today after hearing the province of New Brunswick has agreed to consider testing the vehicle's tires at Transport Canada's testing facilities in Blainville, Quebec.

But they say victory is tempered with a sense of caution because there is no firm date for the testing, there is no guarantee that results will be available for this driving season and, most importantly, the 21 passenger MFAVs owned by the province of New Brunswick are still on the road ferrying children to extra curricular sporting events with tire fitments that are "questionable" for safety.

"Besides the admission that we were right when we said there had to be tests conducted on these tires, there is not a lot in this announcement for us to take joy in," says Marcella Kelly, who lost her son Nikki in the fatal collision that took the lives of six other basketball players from Bathurst High School and the coach's wife.

"To us it looks a vague attempt to diffuse criticism on the government because public pressure is mounting against their position".

She says the press release only says the Department is "considering" tests at Transport Canada's facilities.

"Considering is not good enough," says Kelly, who adds that she believes the Department of Education finally received Transport Canada's recommendations about the use of winter tires this week and the report was not in the province's favour.

Kelly asks how the Department of Education can rationalize the continued use of the 21 passenger MFAVs in its fleet when its announcement proves there is a seed of doubt about the vehicle's tire safety.

"After everything that happened to our children, the Department of Education hasn't even mentioned the fact that it continues to use these vehicle when they now have their own doubts about the safety of its tire fitments," she said.

The mothers reiterated their resolve to go ahead with arranging an independent test at Continental Tires state of the art testing facility in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.

"Without a firm date for testing and no commitment from the province that the test results will actually be implemented this year, we feel we have no choice but to drive the agenda forward faster than the Minister of Education or Transportation are capable of doing," says Isabelle Hains, whose son Daniel was also killed in the collision.

Hains says it is "inexecusable' that they were informed of the announcement by a reporter early Friday afternoon instead of by the Minister of Education himself or Valerie Kilfoil, the Director of Communications of the Department of Education with whom they have been in contact with almost daily over the past month and a half.

"The fact that we had to learn of this important announcement through the media does not speak well of the government's empathy, sympathy and sincerity in dealing with victims of tragedy," says Hains whose son Daniel would have turned 20 years old today.

"Nobody from the Department of Education contacted us to tell us in person. To hear this through the media is inexecusable and just another example of what we have had to deal with in this government," she said.

They also question the government's insistence that it has three experts who agree that mixed tires are best on this type of vehicle. In a statement released today to veteran automotive journalist John Mahler, Transport Canada and the Rubber Tire Association of Canada, Michelin clarified its position on winter tire use as related to the MFAV questions the mothers raised.

The safety conscious tire company reiterated the message of winter tires on all axles including dual rear wheel vehicles. On "vehicles with 6 tire positions, Michelin recommends to use winter tires in all positions to provide the optimum balance of performance and overall vehicle stability."

"So New Brunswick's Ministry of Education is down to only two sources who endorse their tire choices, a local consultant, David Hoar and a letter written by a retired Goodyear engineer compared to 14 experts who oppose their choice," says journalist John Mahler of the Toronto Star's Wheels.ca.

- 30 -

Parents Are The Last To Know: Had To Find Out Through The Media

We heard from a reporter that he received the Minister of Education, Roland Hache's press release announcing that Transport Canada was considering tests on the MFAVs at 11 am this morning.

We also heard from a student at the Community College that he received the press release at 12:11 pm.

Meanwhile, we, the parents who have been fighting to have these vehicles tested by the province of New Brunswick for nearly three months, and who were promised in writing and in person by the Minister of Education that we would be kept informed of any developments with Transport Canada, had the privelege of receiving the official notification from the Minister of Education at 12:58 pm.

The last to know.

No wonder we can't trust these people.

______ Letter from Minister of Education Roland Hache _____

From: Kieley, Rachelle (ED) On Behalf Of Haché, Roland (Hon) (ED)
Sent: January-15-10 12:58 PM
Cc: Landry, Denis Hon. (DOT/MDT)
Subject: Multi-Function Activity Bus testing

Dear Mrs. Haines, Mrs. Acevedo and Mrs. Kelly;

I am writing in response to your December 16, 2009 request for the loan of a 21-passenger Multi-Function Activity Bus (MFAB); your e-mail dated Jan7, 2010; and in follow up to commitments I made at our Nov. 16, 2009 meeting at my office in Petit Rocher.

As you may recall, the issue of testing came up at our meeting. At that time, we discussed that that Transport Canada is the body responsible for the development of regulations and national standards, as well as for the implementation of monitoring, testing, inspections for transportation in Canada.

As I promised you at that meeting, Transport Canada has been contacted and I am very pleased to be able to tell you that Transport Canada has agreed to examine the option of testing to determine which the safest tires are for MFABs. We have advised Transport Canada that we are prepared to work with them in this regard. As a result, I will not be granting your request for the use of one of our MFABs for testing.

In the meantime, the Province will continue with its current policy of having two winter tires on the back and two ribbed tires on the front of MVABs that we use primarily for travel between cities on highways, as recommended by expert consultant David Hoar and supported by two leading tire companies.

In closing, I want to assure you that we will continue to work with Transport Canada on issues regarding safe transportation of our students.

Yours truly,

(original signed)

Roland Haché
Minister of Education

CC: Hon. Denis Landry

Province Flip Flops on Tire Testing: We Want To Know When Are They Going to Take MFAVs off the Road?

So the Minister of Education Roland Hache (that's him on the right) and the Minister of Transportation Denis Landry (middle, next to Rick Miles, Minister of Environment at left), seem to have had an epiphene of sorts and, having "seen the light" have changed their minds about testing the tires of the 21 passenger Multi Function Activity Vehicles that Education uses to transport children to extra curricular events.

Hallejluhia, is all we can say.

(Click here to read their announcement on the Government of New Brunswick website. It was awful nice of the Ministers of Education and Transportation to let the media tell us about it instead of phoning us up and telling us themselves.)

Only a few short weeks ago, the Minister of Transportation refused to undertake tests of the MFAVs and forced us to into the position of having to find a vehicle to rent ourselves.

(Click here to read the December 29, 2009n letter from Denis Landry, Minister of Transportation, telling us that that Province of NB will not test the MFAVS).

Problem is, announcing that "Transport Canada" is "considering" a tire test on these vehicles is not like saying the "province of New Brunswick" is actually taking any responsibility for conducting the tests itself. They've handed the responsibility over to the big boys, the Federal Government, who actually know what they're doing.

We think that the Departments of Education and Transportation received the equivalent of a "rap on the knuckles" from Transport Canada which we believe recommended that the province of New Brunswick has no choice but to test the tires on these MFAVs, but the Ministers of Education and Transporation won't tell us so we had to make a Right To Information request yesterday.

(Click here to read our most recent Request for Information under the Right To Information Act. Number four and counting....)

What's the big secret anyways? If what we believe is true about Transport Canada, it hasn't changed its mind since November 3, 2009, when it told the Minister of Education that these 21 passenger MFAVs need winter tires all around.

(Click here to read the letter from Nigel Mortimer, Head of Recalls, Road Safety, Transport Canada, in which he tells John McLaughlin, District 15 Superintendent, that winter tires are best on 21 passenger MFAVs. This letter was cc'd to the Minister of Education).

And excuse us for being sticklers for details, but it would be nice to know where and when the proposed tests are being conducted because if it's not this winter season, then the announcement is just a bunch of hot air designed to deflect pressure from the politicians. "Don't worry, be happy" must be a song they play a lot in the provincial government offices.

The fact is that the Department of Education still continues to use its fleet of 21 passenger vehicles to transport children to extra curricular basketball and hockey games. The Education Department has about twenty of these vehicles and god knows how many of them are on the road tonight, filled with innocent children, with tire fitments that are "questionable" to say the least.

We've been trying to get those off the road since the day we found out they were fitted with mixed tires on October 20, 2009 but it's like hitting your head against a brick wall talking to these people in the Department of Education and Transportation. They do not listen to common sense.

"It's policy," they say. Sound familiar?

That's what we heard at the Coroners Inquest.

Right to Information Request: Is The Province Afraid To Give Us Transport Canada's Recommendation on Winter Tires?

We have been asking for information about Transport Canada's recommendations to the Department of Education and the Department of Transportation for more than two weeks now and nobody can seem to give us an answer.

All we want to know is if Transport Canada has made its official recommendation to the Department of Education about the use of mixed tires vs winter tires on the 21 passenger MVAF used by Bathurst High School.

We are willing to accept whatever Transport Canada says. We wonder if the Ministers of Education and Transportation feel the same?

We believe that Transport Canada's opinion on the use of winter tires has not changed since Minister Hache was told in November by Nigel Mortimer, Head of Recalls, at Transport Canada, that winter tires were the safest tires for this type of vehicle.

(Click here to read Nigel Mortimer's letter to John McLauglin, District 15 Superintendent which was cc'd to the Minister).

But no matter how many times we ask, either by email, letter or phone, nobody in the provincial government will answer us.

So here we go again, forced to make another request under the Right To Information Act to both the Minister of Education, Roland Hache and the Minister of Transportation, Denis Landry. There is no excuse for the government to stonewall us on something so basic as the recommendation from Transport Canada about the use of winter tires vs mixed tires on these 21 passenger MFAVs.

____ Letter to Minister of Education Roland Hache _____

Minister Roland Hache
691 rue Principale
Petit-Rocher, N.B.
E8J 1G1

(Original mailed to Mr. Hache under separate cover)

January 13, 2010

Hon. Roland Hache:

Re: Request under Right To Information Act

We are writing this request for information under the Right to Information Act. Enclosed you will find $5 fee to cover the costs
of this request.

We would like copies of any recent correspondence (since November, 2009 to January, 2010) between the Department of Education and Transport Canada regarding the use of winter tires vs mixed tires on the 21 passenger Multi-Function Activity Vehicles in the Department of Education’s fleet. Specifically, we are interested in Transport Canada’s response to the Department of Education on the use of winter tires vs mixed tires and the correspondence between your Department and the Department of Transportation on this issue.

Thank you for your attention to this request.

Yours sincerely

Isabelle Hains
Ana Acevedo
Marcella Kelly

cc. Premier Shawn Graham
cc. Minister John Foran
cc. Minister Denis Landry
cc. Gary Spencer
cc. Valerie Kilfoil
cc. Roger Duguay

Attachment: $5 fee

____ Letter to Denis Landry, Minister of Transportation _____

Minister Denis Landry
Constituency Office: Centre-Péninsule-Saint-Sauveur
1344-3 des Fondateurs Street
Paquetville, New Brunswick
E8R 1A4

(Original sent to Minister Landry under separate cover)

January 13, 2010

Hon. Denis Landry:

Re: Request under Right To Information Act

We are writing this request for information under the Right to Information Act. Enclosed you will find $5 fee to cover the costs
of this request.

We would like copies of any recent correspondence (since November, 2009 to January, 2010) between the Department of Transportation and Transport Canada regarding the use of winter tires vs mixed tires on the 21 passenger Multi-Function Activity Vehicles in the provincial fleet. Specifically, we are interested in Transport Canada’s response to the Department of Transportation on the use of winter tires vs mixed tires and the correspondence between your Department and the Department of Education on this issue.

Thank you for your attention to this request.

Yours sincerely




Isabelle Hains
Ana Acevedo
Marcella Kelly

cc. Premier Shawn Graham
cc. Minister John Foran
cc. Minister Roland Hache
cc. Gary Spencer
cc. Valerie Kilfoil
cc. Roger Duguay

Highway 8 Memorial to Boys in Red is a Sacred Place

We hear that the Mayor of Bathurst, Stephen Brunet, wants people to stop going to the crash site on Highway 8 near Bathurst where a spontaneous memorial was erected by friends and family of the Boys in Red who were killed two years ago today on January 12, 2008.

He says the area is dangerous and he wants people to concentrate their efforts on building a memorial in downtown Bathurst with the funds that were raised from public donations in the aftermath of ours sons deaths.

While we agree that we need to complete the planned memorial in downtown Bathurst, and that Highway 8 is not the safest place, as evidenced by the death of our children there, we believe it would be pointless to try to stop people from visiting the memorial that has existed along Highway 8 for two years today.

Instead, why not make the memorial on Highway 8 a safer place for the people who will keep going there - no matter what anyone says - because it has become a "sacred site".

Since the day our sons were killed people have been stopping along Highway 8 at the very spot where the tragic collision took place. It is a remote place, surrounded by woods on both sides for miles, a broad swath of snow in the winter separates the two lanes from the forest and in the summer scruffy weeds and grass grow there.

To someone who doesn't know the significance of the place it looks like any other stretch of rural highway. But once they see that basketball net along the side of the road, the place takes on a completely different meaning.

It has, for all intents and purposes, become a "sacred site", no less than a cemetery or a cenotaph. It is the place where the tragedy that took our sons' lives happened. It cannot be erased from memory. It is what it is.

It is a memorial.

Until last summer, there were two basketball nets facing each other about fifty feet apart and strewn along the ground between the nets were dozens of basketballs, rugby balls, teddy bears, sport shirts, baseball caps, sports medals, hand written notes and photos of the boys. Those two nets stood there, like a sentinel along the side of the road for more than a year. Then last summer, the old nets came down, the area was cleared and the old memorial was replaced with another beautiful basketball memorial that was made by one of the fathers and his friends in honour of his son and the other Boys in Red.

Meantime, more and more people continue to stop at the site because it has become a "sacred place". We believe that even if the new memorial was removed, it will be impossible to stop friends and family from going there again and creating another one in memory of their sons.

So although the Mayor may be well-intentioned, fearing that an accident may occur, we want to say as the parents of the boys who were killed on January 12, 2008 that it will be impossible to stop people, including us, from going to the memorial to the Boys in Red on Highway 8 because it is a "sacred site", no less than the proposed memorial to the Boys in Red that is planned for downtown Bathurst.

There are hundreds and thousands of similar "sacred sites" scattered along roads and highways across Canada and the United States, where relatives and friends go to remember their loved ones who never made it home. You see them in every community, crosses with fresh and sometimes wilted bouqets of flowers, others with photographs of the man, woman or child who was killed, a teddy bear, a favourite object, a tender photo are there to remind the living that the person who died at that very spot was loved and is remembered forever.

So to the mayor we say: nobody can stop the survivors, family and friends from going to these places along the side of the road because they are sacred to them. A spiritual connection has been made and no Department of Transportation or City Council can make them stop. To try would be folly.

We believe the memorial on Highway 8 and the planned memorial in downtown Bathurst can co-exist. We suggest that the City of Bathurst and the Department of Transportaton work with the victims' families to build a second permanent memorial to the Boys in Red on Highway 8 in the form of a rest area where travellers can safely park their cars and pause for a moment to reflect on the significance of site. It would be a peaceful place, a place where passersby can stop safely to remember the lives of the children who lost theirs so tragically on January 12, 2008.

Two Years Ago Tonight We Lost Our Boys

Two years ago tonight we lost our beautiful boys, Javier, Nikki and Daniel.

There are no words to express the sorrow we feel.

"Everything is different. Even the air is different to us now."

It feels like only a moment ago that we spoke our final words to them as they walked out the door on the way to school that fateful day. Those memories are fleeting moments in time that we hold on to with each passing day, not growing weaker but stronger as we say their names with courage and love so they will never be forgotten.

You inspire us and we will never forget you Javier, Nikki and Daniel.

One Year Ago Tonight

Response to Minister of Education, Roland Hache

We wrote this letter in response to Minister Roland Hache's letter to us of January 7, 2010, in which he said he was going keep the mixed tires on the Multi Function Activity Vehicle even though there is no scientific evidence to support the theory that mixed tires on MFAVs is safe.

Click here to read the Minister's January 7, 2010 letter to us.
____

Subject: Response to Minister Hache's letter on Jan.7, 2010
Date: Sun, 10 Jan 2010 17:02:12 -0300

Dear Minister Roland Hache;

This is in response to your letter sent via email January 7, 2010. There are a few issues that really bother us and we feel that we have to respond. We believe that you are getting bad advice from your Communications Director and your advisors, as well as the employees at the Department of Transportation who are involved in this file. We believe they know fully well what they are saying to you is inaccurate but they are counting on you to back them up. Unfortunately for them, all the evidence we have, including your own Department's Education Act, correspondence and reports proves that they are giving you the wrong information.

For example, you say in your letter that this tire configuration of mixed tires has proven safe "for years". We cannot believe that you were advised to make such an inaccurate statement to we parents who know the story of these MFAVs inside out.

Are you not aware that that the mixed tire policy you are referring is for yellow school buses only, not 21 passenger MFAVs?

Are you not aware that the 21 passenger MFAVS have only been the Department of Education for one year, not "years"?

Can you not see the difference between a yellow school bus and a 21 passenger MFAV which is much smaller than a school bus and are rear wheel drive on a one ton chassis?

If you are aware of all these facts, why would you say that a yellow school bus tire policy is acceptable for a 21 passenger MFAV when you have no scientific evidence to back up such a statement?

And how can you say that a policy which was developed for yellow school buses has proven safe for "years" for 21 passenger MFAVS when these MFAVs have only been part of the Department of Education's fleet for one year?

It is false and misleading to say that the policy of combining mixed tires has been "safe" for years on a 21 passenger MFAV when you've only had them in your fleet for one year. Your advisors know that there has never been a scientific study of mixed wheels vs winter tires on these vehicles in Canada or the United States. They cannot in all good conscience back up your statement that the mixed tire policy is "safe" on 21 passenger MFAVs so they are putting words in your mouth which are based on fiction and hoping we don't catch them in a lie.

For example, on November 24, 2009, Gary Spencer, Assistant Director, Operations / Transportation at the Vehicle Management Agency, Department of Transportation wrote to Michelin Tires seeking its opinion on the use of mixed tires (attached). In the letter he called the 21 passenger MFAV a "bus" ten times, he confirmed that these vehicles were a new addition to your fleet and that there has never been a scientific study of these tires. In their response, Michelin and Goodyear also reconfirmed the lack of scientific research to back up their opinion on mixed tires.

You also call the 21 passenger MFAV a "bus". Do you, or do you not know that these 21 passenger MFAV's are not a "bus" according to your own Pupil Transportation Regulations of the New Brunswick Education Act and your own Policies 512 and 513? In fact, the 21 passenger MFAVs are Extra Curricular Activity Vehicles. If you do know they are not "buses", why do you, and your Director of Communications and others including Gary Spencer at DOT, and your paid consultant David Hoar of Motion Design Assoc. continue to call the 21 passenger MFAV a "bus"? This is very misleading because it confuses the parents, the public, the media and the experts with whom you are dealing at Goodyear and Michelin.

Also, how can you say this is the safest way when this is a new vehicle with no known scientific testing in North America.

Ironically, we know of a school in New Brunswick which used these vehicles in the past years when it used to be owned privately by school officals. Until we discovered the tire problem on the Bathurst High School MFAV in October 2009, this 21 passenger MFAV used winter tires on all axles. Attached are photographs of this vehicle taken by Isabelle Hains. You can clearly see there were winter tires on all axles.

We don't understand why there is so much trouble to get a simple test done, especially when offered for free, saving tax payers an estimated $250.000. You say that the students safety is your first priority. If it is such a priority, shouldn't the test be done? There should never be second guessing. The opportunity is there to have the test done for free which will remove the second guessing and everyone in North America will know once and for all whether winter tires or mixed tires are the safest tires for 21 passenger MFAVs.

Since the banning of 15 passenger vans in NB and other provinces, there will be a lot more of these vehicles on the road. Wouldn't you feel more at ease knowing that you have scientific research to back up your public statements about the use of winter tires on these MFAVs? We know that we will feel more secure and so will every other parent whose child travels in these vehicles. The children depend on adults to make the safest decision. The test should be done and the bus used should be the one donated to BHS in memory of our boys. We parents will hire a Class 2 driver who will drive the MFAV with no passengers all the way to Michigan. We will pay all the expenses including extra insurance, gas, etc.. We are doing this in memory of our boys who were killed two years ago this week on January 12, 2008, and for the safety of all children in North America.

We implore you to consider scientific testing of the tire configurations on the 21 passenger MFAV as the only way to ensure the safest combination of tires. Whether the scientific evidence points to traction and ribbed or winter tires all around, we will accept the results of these tests but we cannot accept the current state of affairs.

Sincerly

Marcella Kelly
Isabelle Hains

Letter to the Liberal Caucus Asking For Help in Obtaining a 21 passenger MFAV Test Vehicle

Subject : FW: Letter to Liberal Caucus from Bathurst Mothers, Please Help Us Get a 21Passenger MFAV for Tire Tests

Dear Liberal Caucus members:

We are writing to ask for your help in obtaining a 21 passenger Multi Function Activity Vehicle from the Department of Education's fleet of MFAVs. The vehicle will be used in scientific testing of tire configurations at Continental Tires state of the art testing facility in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan during the week of February 15 or February 22, 2010.

Continental Tire is one of the world's largest tire manufacturers and it has offered to do free testing of the tires on 21 passenger MFAVs similar to the one used by Bathurst High School. Continental has an excellent safety record and there has never been an accident at its testing
facility.

We have tried to rent a 21 passenger MFAV but none of the rental companies have the specific MFAV we require and / or their company policy will now allow us to use their MFAV's for testing. We have approached the manufacturers of these MFAVs but they too do not have the specific MFAV that we require. We have also written a Letter to the Editor which has been reprinted across Canada and the United States but so far we have not received any response.

Yesterday, John Mahler, veteran automotive journalist with the Toronto Star's Wheels.ca, printed an open letter to Premier Shawn Graham in Wheels.ca asking him to loan a test vehicle for testing at Continental Tire.

http://www.wheels.ca/reviews/article/783677

http://blog.vanangels.ca/2010/01/letter-to-premier-of-new-brunswick-from.html


We have a very narrow window of opportunity to carry out these free scientific tests at Continental's facilities in Michigan. We are willing to pay for the gas, the extra insurance and will even hire a Class 2 driver to drive the vehicle from New Brunswick to Michigan and back. We are paying our own expenses to fly to Michigan separately so that we may be present for the testing. If the province of New Brunswick had to pay for these tests, it would cost an estimated $250,000, so we cannot understand why the Premier and the Ministers of Education and Transportation
could turn down our request, especially when Transport Canada has stated that mixed tires on these 21 passenger MFAVs are not safe.

We know that this is an unusual request but we have reached the end of our options and feel that you may be able to convince the Premier, the Minister of Education and the Minister of Transportation to loan us a test vehicle.

If you have any questions whatsoever about this request, please feel free to contact us and we can give you the contact names at Continental Tires where you can find out more about the planned tests and its facilities in Michigan.

Whatever you do, please do not ignore this plea. This week is the second anniversary of the death of our boys and we will be speaking to the radio, television and print media all across Canada. We would love to be able to say that our government has done the right thing by agreeing to loan a test vehicle to Continental for the February tests.

Yours sincerely,


Isabelle Hains
Ana Acevedo
Marcella Kelly

Contact Isabelle Hains @ 506-546-6370
Contact Marcella Kelly @ 506-548-4973
email: info@vanangels.ca
www.VanAngels.ca

Plea to Conservative Caucus to Convince the Premier of New Brunswick to Loan a Test Vehicle

Subject : FW: Plea to the Conservative Caucus from Bathurst Mothers, Isabelle Hains, Ana Acevedo and Marcella Kelly

January 10, 2010

Dear Conservative Caucus members:

We are writing to ask for your help in obtaining a 21 passenger Multi Function Activity Vehicle from the Department of Education's fleet of MFAVs. The test vehicle will be used in scientific testing of tire configurations at Continental Tires state of the art testing facility in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan during the week of February 15 or February 22, 2010.

Continental Tire is one of the world's largest tire manufacturers and it has offered to do free testing of the tires on 21 passenger MFAVs similar to the one used by Bathurst High School. Continental has an excellent safety record and there has never been an accident at its testing facility.

We have tried to rent a 21 passenger MFAV but none of the rental companies have the specific MFAV we require and / or their company policy will now allow us to use their MFAV's for testing. We have approached the manufacturers of these MFAVs but they too do not have the specific MFAV that we require. We have also written a Letter to the Editor which has been reprinted across Canada and the
United States but so far we have not received any response.

Yesterday, John Mahler, veteran automotive journalist with the Toronto Star's Wheels.ca, printed an open letter to Premier Shawn Graham in Wheels.ca asking him to loan a test vehicle for testing at Continental Tire.

http://www.wheels.ca/reviews/article/783677

http://blog.vanangels.ca/2010/01/letter-to-premier-of-new-brunswick-from.html

We have a very narrow window of opportunity to carry out these free scientific tests at Continental's facilities in Michigan. We are willing to pay for the gas, the extra insurance and will even hire a Class 2 driver to drive the vehicle from New Brunswick to Michigan and back. We are paying our own expenses to fly to Michigan separately so that we may be present for the testing. If the province of New Brunswick had to pay for these tests, it would cost an estimated $250,000, so we cannot understand why the Premier and the Ministers of Education and Transportation could turn down our request, especially when Transport Canada has stated that mixed tires on these 21 passenger MFAVs are not safe.

We know that this is an unusual request but we have reached the end of our options and feel that you may be able to convince the Premier, the Minister of Education and the Minister of Transportation to loan us a test vehicle.

If you have any questions whatsoever about this request, please feel free to contact us and we can give you the contact names at Continental Tires where you can find out more about the planned tests and its facilities in Michigan.

Yours sincerely,


Isabelle Hains
Ana Acevedo
Marcella Kelly

Contact Isabelle Hains @ 506-546-6370
Contact Marcella Kelly @ 506-548-4973
email: info@vanangels.ca
www.VanAngels.ca

Please Loan a Test Vehicle: An Open Letter to the Premier of New Brunswick from John Mahler, Toronto Star's Wheels.ca Automotive Journalist

Click here to read John Mahler's article in the Toronto Star's Wheels.ca Tire Lesson Lost Already? about the use of mixed tires on the Bathurst High School's 21 passenger MFAV from November 23, 2009.

Click here to read John Mahler's Letter to the Premier of New Brunswick on the Toronto Star's Wheels.ca, January 9, 2010.

Jan 09, 2010

to: New Brunswick Premier Shawn Graham
from: John Mahler
re: Winter tires for small buses

Dear Premier Graham,

I am writing to ask you to lend one of your province's school vehicles for winter tire testing.

It is approaching the second anniversary of the tragic collision that claimed the lives of seven New Brunswick high school students. Since then, a group of mothers who lost their sons has been advocating for school vehicle safety.

From recent statements by your representatives it seems that your government is hindering these bereaved families instead of welcoming their work for children's safety aboard your government vehicles.

Your Minister of Transport, Denis Landry, recently said, "The Department of Transportation will not be undertaking its own study of tires on 21-passenger multi-function activity vehicles (MFAV). However, officials and technical experts along with Transport Canada are in discussions to resolve this issue, with the safety of students foremost in their minds."

But nobody I know has heard who these people are, or when a resolution is expected. Meanwhile, another winter rages on the East Coast.

The issue at hand is simple. What tire fitment is best for the MFAV class of school vehicles? No tire testing on MFAV minibus vehicles has ever been done. Everything said has been theory.



The choices are for winter tires on rear wheels with all-season tires on the front, or winter tires on all axles. Your government has chosen the first option.

But there is a much longer list of experts with far more focused credentials who are convinced that you must have winter tires on all axles. And now, Continental Tire, one of the largest tire companies in the world, is offering to perform the instrumented scientific testing for your province at no cost.

Perhaps your current provincial standard will prove to be the correct one. If your standard proves to be lacking, it will cost the government very little to upgrade tires on the 21-passenger MFAV minibuses, and gain a leadership position in minibus safety.

New Brunswick has an opportunity to set a gold safety standard for the rest of the country. Let the memory of the lost "Boys in Red" from Bathurst High School motivate you to promote the highest level of school vehicle safety possible.

And if you opt not to do this, can you tell Canadians why not?

Your Department of Education spokesperson, Valerie Kilfoil, has said the department isn't in a position to make any snap decisions when it comes to handing out their vehicles. In a newspaper interview, she said it's not likely the mothers will receive an imminent answer, and suggested that perhaps it would be better if they rent their own bus.

But as you know, this tire argument is not new to New Brunswick. A similar argument led to a test of the province's ambulance fleet and new tire policies were established.

According to Rick Marois, CEO of Ambulance New Brunswick, by February 2008 all New Brunswick ambulances were fitted with winter tires on all axles. The ambulance service has since been recognized with an award for its safety.

Congratulations to them. I'm certain it's a huge bonus to that service to know that in the unhappy event of another terrible winter road collision, they will be well-equipped to reach any victims swiftly and safely.

Instead of seeing these saddened families as a problem, why not see them as presenting an opportunity for your government to show it does what's right? Loan them the MFAV minibus for a test.

John Mahler,

Toronto Star Wheels

PS: If your government still can't help, do you know of any organizations, church groups, school bus companies or used-bus dealers who can supply a vehicle?

I am looking specifically for a passenger minibus based on a Ford or GM one-ton truck chassis with dual rear wheels. It will be driven to Continental Tire's huge test facility at Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., for the week of Feb. 15 or Feb. 22.

Continental will do the actual testing of several types of tires on the bus, which is nothing unusual or damaging to the vehicle; while it's fully insured, there has never been an accident on the site.

If you know of somebody who could supply the vehicle, it would be a great service for child transportation safety.
thetireguy_1@hotmail.com

Click here to read John Mahler's article in Wheels.ca Tire Lesson Lost Already? about the use of mixed tires on the Bathurst High School's 21 passenger MFAV from November 23, 2009.

Click here to read John Mahler's Letter to the Premier of New Brunswick on the Toronto Star's Wheels.ca, January 9, 2010.

Letter to the Editor: Mothers Plea for Test MVAV Loan for Scientific Testing

Dear Editor:

We are three mothers from Bathurst, New Brunswick who lost our teenaged sons in a tragic collision that claimed the lives of four other Bathurst High School basketball players and the coach's wife on the night of January 12, 2008. Known as the "Boys in Red", our sons'memory lives on in the changes that have been brought about to the transportation of children to extra-curricular activities in New Brunswick and across Canada.


However, there are still some changes that must be made, specifically with regards to the use of winter tires on the NB Department of Education's fleet of 21 passenger Multi Function Activity Vehicles (MFAVs). We hope that your readers can help us to solve a burning question about the use of mixed tires vs winter tires on these vehicles.


In October, we discovered that Bathurst High School's brand new 21 passenger MFAV had mixed tires (all seasons on the front and winter tires on the back). This is in violation of the NB Department of Education's own Policy 513 which states that MFAVs must be equipped with winter tires between November and April. It is also 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.

Two weeks ago, Continental Tires, one of the world's leading tire companies, offered to conduct free tests of the 21 passenger MFAV at its state of the art testing facility in northern Michigan. However the company does not have an appropriate vehicle in its test fleet. When we asked the Department of Education for a vehicle, they said they could not make a decision until January at the earliest. Meantime, we have confirmed that, contrary to previous reports, BHS's 21 passenger MFAV is still being used to transport children to extra curricular events despite the considerable liability issues.

We have a very narrow window of opportunity to access Continental's testing facilities: given the circumstances, we are writing to ask your readers for help in obtaining a one tonne, dual tires, rear wheel drive, Type A 21 passenger MFAV that can be used for scientific testing by Continental Tires.

We know this is an unusual request but we believe that there are angels out there who agree that the transportation of children should not be left up to speculation. Only scientific research data can prove once and for all whether this type of vehicle should be using winter tires or all seasons tires on its front wheels.

With each passing day, as winter starts to settle in and the second anniversary of our sons' deaths comes upon us, this matter becomes ever more urgent. We firmly believe that when it comes to childrens' safety, there should be no doubt in anyone's minds.

We can be contacted by email at info@vanangels.ca or by telephone at 506-546-6370 / 506-548-4973 in Bathurst, New Brunswick.

Yours sincerely,



Isabelle Hains
Marcella Kelly
Ana Acevedo

Roland Hache, Minister of Education MISLEADS By Making Up New Category of Student Vehicle So He Can Put Mixed Tires On MFAVs

What part of the word "BUS" does the Minister of Education not understand?

We received this letter on Thursday, January 7, 2009 from the Minister of Education, Roland Hache (that's him at the right), regarding our November 30, 2009 request for information on the Department's dealings with Transport Canada and the use of winter tires on the fleet of Multi-Function Activity Vehicles (MFAVs)

(Click here to read our letter to Minister Hache of November 30, 2009).

We didn't expect the Minister of Education to answer us by making up a new category of vehicle that doesn't exist anywhere in the Department of Education's Act, its Regulations, or Policies.

We also didn't expect him to say that the so called tire policy for MFAVs has been working perfectly "for years" when the truth is the MFAVs are a brand new addition to the fleet and their tires have never been scientfically tested by anyone in Canada, least of all, the Province of New Brunswick's engineering consultants who get paid for their opinions. (Read letter from Gary Spencer, DOT to Michelin Tires in which he says the MFAVs are new to the fleet and have never been scientifically tested... and oh... he calls them a "bus" ten times)

(Click here to read David Hoar's report to the Department of Transportation about the use of mixed tires on MFAVs - which he also mistakenly calls "buses".)

Minister Makes Up New Category of Vehicle

There are four points in his letter that give us immediate cause to believe he is simply parroting what he is being told by his bureaucrats and consultants who are basing their recommendations on false information that they appear to have made up, because it's nowhere in the Policies 512 and 513 which they love to cite as their Bible. Either that, or they're just ignoring the Regulations and Policies of the Education Act what don't fit their view of the world.

We're surprised the Minister would write us a letter that is so full of holes and contradicted by his own Education Act as well as employees of his own government who say the opposite in their correspondence with experts in the field.

1. First, he calls the MFAV a "bus" when the MFAV is not a "bus". As explained in previous blog posts, according to Policy 512 only one kind of school vehicle can be called a "bus" and it's a "yellow school bus". In comparison, the MFAV is an "Extra Curricular Activity Vehicle" and does not fall under the Pupil Transportation Regulations of the Education Act. As such, the MFAV is not required to undergo the same rigourous standards when it comes to tires.

2. He appears to have made up a new category of vehicle, calling the MFAV a "extra-curricular bus". We're sorry to have to inform you of this Mr. Hache, but you can't just make up a new definition for a vehicle being used to transport children to extra curricular events. That's a No No.

3. He says that the "existing bus tire policy has provided years of safe and reliable transportation". Well, yes, that's true..... on YELLOW SCHOOL BUSES. But as we all know, and as his own Regulations and Policies under the Education Act clearly state, the MFAV is NOT A BUS. In fact, since it's so new to the provincial fleet, there was no policy for MFAV tires.

4. AND to imply that the policy has "provided years of safe and reliable transportation" on MFAVS is an outright LIE. Mr. Hache, if you read your correspondence, you will see that Gary Spencer, Assistant Director, Vehicle Management Agency of the Department of Transportation wrote in a letter to Michelin Tire on November 24, 2009 (click here to read full text of letter), that these MFAVs are a NEW addition to the provincial fleet for which a tire policy did not exist so you just applied the yellow school bus tire policy to the MFAVS.

HOW COULD THE TIRE POLICY BE WORKING FOR YEARS WHEN THE MFAVS ARE A NEW ADDITION TO THE FLEET.

MR. MINISTER. PLEASE TELL THE HIGHLY PAID CIVIL SERVANTS WHO WRITE YOUR LETTERS FOR YOU TO PLEASE STOP MISLEADING THE PUBLIC AND STOP MAKING THINGS UP BECAUSE IT MAKES YOU LOOK LIKE YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT!


Here's his letter:


Sent: Thursday, January 07, 2010 11:05 AM
Subject: Winter tires

Dear Mrs. Haines and Mrs. Kelly:

Thank you for your recent letters concerning the use of winter tires on 21 passenger MFABs.

As you are aware, we continue to work with our consultant and other departments to obtain information from Transport Canada to confirm their opinion that, based on adequate testing at highway speeds, winter tires should be used on the steer axle of rear wheel drive extra-curricular vehicles.

Until we receive a response from Transport Canada, the existing tire policy for rear wheel drive extra-curricular buses will continue. The existing bus tire policy has provided years of safe and reliable transportation and any change to this policy must be carefully considered before being changed, if indeed any change is required.

Sincerely,

(original signed)

Roland Haché
Minister
c. Premier Shawn Graham

Honourable Denis Landry, Minister of Transportation

The First Lesson You Learn in Grade One: How to Take the Yellow School Bus

First You Have to Know How to Identify the Yellow School Bus

Apparently, this very important lesson was lost on Roland Hache, the Minister of Education and Denis Landry, the Minister of Transportation. It's important, because the Department of Education and Transportation have put all season tires on the front wheels of the new 21 passenger Multi Function Activity Vehicle because someone who thinks they know better than Transport Canada has decided it's a "yellow school bus".

So, without any further adeiu, we thought we'd give the Ministers and their senior advisors as well as their communications directors a lesson in bus recognition.

Once more, here is a yellow school bus. We have been told by the experts with whom we have consulted, including Transport Canada's Nigel Mortimer and many others, that it's OK to have mixed tires on a yellow school bus.


Here is the BHS's 21 passenger MFAV. We have been told by the experts that we have consulted with including Nigel Mortimer of Transport Canada and many others that it's NOT ok to have mixed tires on a MFAV. These vehicles are not "buses". They are completely different and require a different tire configuration of winter tires on all four wheels.


We repeat: Bathurst High School's 21 passenger MFAV is NOT a "bus". Therefore, if it is not a bus, why does the Minister of Education Roland Hache and the Minister of Transportation Denis Landry call it a "bus" and why are they relying on "expert opinion" that says it's OK for a bus to have mixed tires when we are not talking about a bus? We are talking about a 21 passenger MFAV and they know it.

It's deliberately misleading and designed to have everyone so confused that nobody knows who to believe.

In our view, it's just another good reason why we need a scientific research study done by experts in the field who know what they are talking about.

It's incredible that the safety of our children is left up to people like Roland Hache and Denis Landry, two politicians who, along with a bunch of bureacrats who don't know what they're doing, will be deciding our children's fate every time they get on one of these vehicles.

So will someone please tell Valerie Kilfoil and Andrew Holland, Communications Director for the Department of Transportation, that the 21 passenger MFAV is not a "bus" so that their Ministers can start calling the MFAV what it really is and develop winter tire policies based on scientific research that apply to MFAVs and not to yellow school buses?