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dr_wogz -> RE: Is oujr Provincial Government helping R/C!!!! (9/10/2007 4:21:40 PM)
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Latests update
(From our club secretary)
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Club BrossAir so far has only received a preliminary report from CPTAQ indicating that if nobody requests a hearing with them they will issue a ruling having the effect of closing our field.
The club and the city of Brossard have delayed the hearing as much as they could, and now the hearing is scheduled for October 2nd, 11am, at the CPTAQ office located at 25 Lafayette St. , 3rd Floor, Room 1, in Longueuil J4K 5C7
The city of Brossard will send its lawyer, Ms. Véronique Landry, she can be reached at 405 923-6300. The club will also attend, but so far our Lawyer has advised us not to use all of our ammo during the hearing and to keep some for the appeals tribunal.
In the invitation letter, the CPTAQ says that during the hearing, other people interested may present their observations if they so desire. I therefore understand that everybody should show up on that day, and I think it would be appropriate for MAAC to make a presentation. If dozens of people show up, maybe they will realize they are stepping on a lot of toes.
It is also my understanding that the CPTAQ folks that will be present don't understand a damn word of english.
I will also ask the Brossard Air cadets to send their captain.
Regards,
Pascal Forget
Former secretary, BrossAir club
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Meeting with the Club Lafayette re CPTAQ Sept 8/07
Location: Club Lafayette
Present : Maurice Dugas; Jean & Dianne Chevalier; Denis Peloquin; Luc Bergeron; Bob Forest ; Steve Woloz ; ( 12 Persons in Total plse see attached List in scanned file ( CPTAQ) for full listing)
Note:
Hearing for this club ( Club Lafayette ) to occur Oct 3/07 with Tribunal Administrative Du Quebec ( TAQ)
Hearing for (Monteregie de Napierville) to occur Nov 30/07 with TAQ as well.
Club Brossair: fighting against CPTAQ using defer / delay tactic
TAQ stands for Tribunal Administrative de Quebec / is court of appeal in Quebec one level higher than CPTAQ; Lafayette and Brosssair already lost their case in first round against CPTAQ and are now allowed to go to second level of defence by requesting a hearing at an appeals tribunal, the TAQ
following our meeting today; the following has emerged
1 Strategy points to present in hearing:
1.1 Safety
Nature of our pastime is such that for reasons of safety, urban sprawl and industrialization , our hobby pastime cannot be practiced anywhere but in farm lands away from homes and buildings. Thus our clubs must move away from densely populated areas and only practical location is uninhabited farmlands ;
1.2 % Utilisation of land
1:Our flying fields occupy less than 1/10 of 1 % of total arable farmland in this region. Thus our flying fields pose no serious threat to farmland output;
2: Within the possible “green” farmland areas, there is evidence of many fields that are not being used at all, just growing weeds, so before attacking flying fields as reducing agricultural production, they should first assure that vacant land becomes productive;
3: Frequently there is hay or corn grown around the perimeter of our flying fields, which the farmer harvests at the conclusion of the season; thus even our flying fields themselves are productive
1.3 No Permanent Impact
1. Our flying sites typically are not permanent installations or structures ( buildings; parking lot; access roads) ; just temporay and can be easily removed and land can easily be restored to original condition Thus no negative permanent impact to land.
2. In addition, our flying fields do not cause soil contamination
3. In addition the presence of our clubs typically improve the land appearance and also prevent their use as garbage dumps, which might otherwise happen if left vacant
1.4 Homogeneity
The activity of flying model airplanes falls into the 11 subcategories of admissible activities that farmlands may be used for within a broad context of interpretation; this is a tricky point and is better explained by our professional advisor, Luc Bergeron Director General of BH Environnement who sat in our meeting and who will represent us at the tribunal. ( please see his business card included in attached CPTAQ scanned file )
1.5 Social Benefits
This law creates negative pressure on membership in our clubs, as is evidenced by declining enrolment . However there are social and societal benefits from our hobby/ pastime , and for this reason we must appeal to the TAQ to protect these benefits and rights, summarized below.
1. Our hobby and the flying fields we require provide a place for retired people, no longer working, to have pleasant recreational activity
2. Our hobby and the flying fields we require provide a place for youth to be busy and off streets away from drugs
3. Our hobby and the flying fields we require provide a place for fathers to play with their children and thus helps build and maintain family relationships
4. Due to the parallel between model airplanes and full size aircraft, our hobby is a career builder for youth considering a future occupation in the aerospace industry ( which is experiencing a terrible shortage of skilled personnel ); thus our hobby and the flying fields we require are essential for the pursuit of this career builder.
1.6 Other points :
1. If the government tries to suggest that we close down many clubs and group many into one ,our rebuttal is that over congestion poses safety hazards to fliers;
2. Over congestion will reduce available flying time per member ( while waiting for frequency )
3. Typical club size is 40 members, and thus there are not large groups that may, according to CPTAQ guidelines, damage the land;
4. Since maximum transmitter range from ground to models in air is approximately 8 miles, our clubs must be spaced apart a minimum of this distance and more. Thus our fields do not pose over congestion; and in fact fall within the homogeneity guidelines.
5. There is jurisprudence of other small runways for 2 passenger planes being set up in farmland area
6. So why can’t model planes have equal benefits; the reason for allowing such small regional landing strips is to reduce time lost for individuals to driving to more concentrated flying fields; having more; but small flying fields dispersed throughout the province falls within the same logic of reducing lost time in travel due to longer access time.
2 Lesson to be Learned
This meeting of the CPTAQ ADHOC committee was most productive. This is inspite of the belief that we must have a designated leader, without whose presence it was believed that the committee might not function. In fact quite the opposite has become obvious from this most productive brainstorming session. Teamwork, common goals and commitment have allowed us to progress well to this juncture. We feel well prepared to go to the October 3 meeting. For this reason, there are no regrets for requesting the resignation of the initially suggested individual who publicly stated that “ I know all that there is to know ….. etc etc. ’
3 $ 300 Check Received from Club Montergie (Napierville)
At the conclusion of this meeting, Jean Chevalier, president of the club Monteregie de Napierville, presented me, to fwd to MAAC; with a check of $ 300 payable to MAAC for the CPTAQ defence fund. ( see attached Photo JPG #194; All photos courtesy Bob Forest) Money was raised by a voluntary contribution from individual members of this club. Thank you Jean and Dianne for your efforts.
4 Funds Requested to Win the Battle
It was unanimously requested by all persons attending this meeting that a portion of the monies contributed to the “ save our fields “ defence fund be remitted to this CPTAQ committee to pay professional fees to go forward in this most critical issue. The group wishes to use the professional services of Luc Bergeron, an environmental consultant, www.bhenvironment.com; ( see business card in attached scan file CPTAQ) for this purpose.
Luc has estimated that his professional fees will be $ 2,500 for this initial work which will include :
· Prepare for the Oct 3/07 case for Club Lafayette , including his presence at the meeting today ( September 8 ,2007)
· Being present at this hearing of October 3, 2007
· Coaching and assisting Jean Chevalier and his designated representative for the second Nov 30/07 hearing for the Club Monteregie (Napierville )
· In addition to writing up a brief summary / synopsis of the hearings
· In addition to accepting us allow this information to become the property of MAAC and be allowed to be circulated as guidelines to other MAAC persons confronted with similar issues
Thus the committee is requesting for an immediate acceptance and granting of these quoted amounts, to be dispersed immediately upon receipt of invoices from Mr Bergeron for work completed re this case.
Steve Woloz
MAAC St-Laurent Zone Director
( Phone: (514) 944 8241
: Regular Email: s.woloz@swaassoc.com
: Wireless Email: s.woloz@rogers.blackberry.net
http://www.maac.ca/
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