MONTREAL, Jan. 30, 2004 – Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) today launched www.impactnofault.com, a new Website designed to contribute to the current discussion on the planned Qu�bec government changes to the Automobile Insurance Act. This site is designed above all to inform Quebecers about the benefits of the present plan and the possible impact of the changes proposed
by the government.
Packed with information, www.impactnofault.com answers numerous questions on the Quebec automobile insurance plan and presents the issues at stake. “A recent poll clearly showed that Quebecers’ support for the government’s proposed changes drops sharply when they learn about the possible repercussions of the project. We created this site to inform as many people as possible about the effects of this reform,” said Mr. Jacques Valotaire, IBC-Qu�bec committee chair.
IBC opposes the proposed government reform and is worried that it will undermine the current system. In addition to the uneven treatment of the victims that the proposed changes may cause, IBC is also concerned about the possibility of rising auto insurance premiums.
“The government is taking the wrong approach by changing the no-fault plan. We certainly understand why accident victims and their families feel the way they do about criminal drivers. We also understand the government’s desire to deter criminal behavior behind the wheel. However, we believe that the automobile insurance plan should first and foremost address the compensation issue. If the government’s intention is to punish criminal drivers, perhaps it should instead consider revising the Highway Safety Code and the Criminal Code, or how these laws are enforced. In our opinion, the government is planning to make changes that will cause more problems than they solve,” concluded Mr. Jacques Valotaire.