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Hidden camera, internal memo reveals how unqualified truck drivers end up on Canada’s roads

The system for testing truck drivers in Ontario has been compromised by bribes, forged documents and tampered evidence, says a leaked memo to CBC’s Marketplace by an industry insider.

Further investigation by Marketplace’s hidden camera reveals that the training students will take ahead of this test can be just as problematic.

Ontario’s DriveTest centers are run by a company called Serco, which oversees operations and logistics for a variety of organizations ranging from air traffic control for the Canadian Armed Forces to employment services for the federal government.

The leaked internal memo, which was shared with Marketplace after an investigation into driving schools, was addressed to all driving examiners in Ontario. It reveals “a number of employees have resigned or been terminated in the past year as a result of investigations we have completed involving allegations of inappropriate and illegal behavior.”

This behavior ranges from examiners “accepting bribes to issue road test passes, to tampering with automatic versus manual transmission certificates, to adding false driving experience to driver records,” according to the memo .

The note was shared with Marketplace by Kiera Dubois, a DriveTest examiner responsible for testing people who want to get their commercial truck license.

“(I’m basically putting my job on the line to say something,” he told Marketplace. CBC has agreed to change his name and withhold his identity, because he fears losing his job for speaking out.

“These people (who) took bribes gave licenses for a murder weapon … in any transportation (truck) versus car accident, more than likely the person in that car is not going to walk away.”

Marketplace requested an interview with Serco, which the company declined. In an emailed statement, spokesman Alan Hill wrote that the company takes the allegations seriously and immediately launched an investigation that resulted in the termination of those involved in any fraudulent or illegal behavior. Read more

Using mathematics and machine learning, researchers predict an early flu peak in Canada, the United States

A team of Canadian and American researchers say their method of forecasting the rate of infectious disease transmission predicts an earlier increase in flu cases this year.

Using mathematics and machine learning, the researchers analyzed data from the end of 2015 to September 2024, incorporating weather conditions, political choices and movement patterns (taken from mobile phones) to predict how diseases such as influenza and tuberculosis might spread. COVID-19.

The team expects more than 1,600 new flu cases to be confirmed in US labs each day by the end of November, nearly double the number of cases during the same period last year.

“For the prediction in this report, we applied data from the United States, but I think we would argue that if we used Canadian data, similar conclusions would be drawn,” said Hao Wang, director of the Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Mathematical Ecology and Epidemiology at the University of Alberta.

Wang, who is also a senior professor and Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Mathematical Biosciences, said the team has predicted that the initial spike in flu cases this year will come a month earlier than last year.

He hopes this information will help inform public health officials.

“Hopefully we can have some impact on decision-making,” he said. Read more

Watching an NHL game this season can be more complicated than you think

It has never been more complicated or more expensive to watch hockey than it is now. However, as the puck drops on a new NHL season, the broadcast rights landscape in Canada is gearing up for more dramatic changes.

Experts warn that whatever changes come, they won’t make it any easier for fans trying to watch hockey.

“I think we’re moving into an era of greater complication,” said Cary Kaplan, founder and president of Cosmos Sports.

Since 2013, Rogers Communications has had the exclusive rights to broadcast domestic hockey games in Canada. He paid $5.2 billion in a deal that shocked the hockey world.

But having a single rights holder didn’t mean it was suddenly easier for fans to watch their favorite teams.

Now, to watch NHL games this season, you’ll need to subscribe to Sportsnet, TSN, TVA, and Amazon Prime.

Depending on the night, games will be broadcast on one of these streaming services, and fans will have to check local listings to see where their favorite team is playing on a given night.

Amazon signed a deal with Rogers in the spring that will allow the online giant to stream regular-season games on Monday Night Hockey. This deal was heralded by Rogers, Amazon and the NHL as an important way to reach new audiences.

“We are committed to serving hockey fans and reaching new audiences with our strong content distribution strategy that brings viewers exciting NHL content on a multitude of streaming services,” said David Proper, Executive Vice President NHL senior, media and international strategy. Read more

What else is going on?

Guide dog owner says Louie may be his last unless “service dogs” behavior changes.
Not all “service dogs” have the same training, and it’s a problem for guide dog owners.

Ontario day care operators warn of rolling closures looming
A group of mostly for-profit operators say they will close for an unspecified period of time the week of October 21.

Rents rose just 2.1% in September, continuing the monthly slowdown in prices
Prices are still rising, but the rate of increase was at its lowest point since October 2021.

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