Taxi drivers demand meeting with Premier

CTV.ca
Sept. 28, 2016

Quebec's taxi drivers want to meet with Premier Philippe Couillard.

Dozens of drivers met in Montreal Wednesday morning and drove to Quebec City to demand a meeting with the premier.

Police refused to let the drivers take the road behind the National Assembly that leads to the premier's office.

They are upset about the Quebec government allowing Uber to operate under a pilot project, and with courts that have denied their requests for injunctions.

Spokesperson Benoit Jugand said drivers want to meet with Couillard this week, especially after working out a deal with Uber.

"He needs to meet with the taxi industry. If he decides to meet with people that are doing fiscal evasion that's unacceptable. Here in Quebec laws must be respected," said Jugand.

Jugand said the industry has solutions to modernize taxi services, and would apply to Uber as well.

Taxi drivers said Uber is an outlaw company that has managed to rack up huge fines for operating illegally.

Last year drivers met with three different transport ministers, but did not arrive at a solution that satisfied taxi drivers.