Thank you, Madam Chairperson. I have some opening comments. If you wish, I will proceed with them. I am pleased to be here today to present Bill 19, An Act to Amend the Public Highways Act and the Motor Vehicles Act. This bill is quite straightforward. Right now our Public Highways Act is unusual in Canada, in that it places restrictions on the maximum speed limit that may be set on our highways. Under Section 4 of the act, the Commissioner may set maximum speed limits for any class of highway outside a municipality and for primary highways within municipalities. However, the Commissioner may not set a maximum speed limit of more than 90 kilometres per hour or 50 kilometres per hour for all-terrain vehicles within communities. This bill removes the restrictions placed on the Commissioner. This does not mean that speed limits will automatically be raised, but it does allow the Minister and the Department of Transportation to examine the issue so that the Commissioner may set maximum speed limits of more than 90 kilometres per hour where it is appropriate.

Madam Chairperson, in the course of drafting these amendments, my legal counsel discovered a similar section in the Motor Vehicles Act. The Motor Vehicles Act allows the council to set maximum speed limits on highways within the municipality. In certain cases, a council may also set limits on primary highways within a municipality, but only if the council has an agreement with the Minister. I understand that there are, currently, no such agreements. Section 344 of the act, provides that a bylaw may not set a maximum speed limit of more than 90 kilometres per hour. This bill would repeal this restriction as well, which is consistent with repealing the restriction on the Commissioner. This concludes my opening comments. Thank you, Madam Chairperson.