What’s New: In Brief (March 24, 2009)

The Saskatchewan government is discontinuing the enhanced driver’s license (EDL) program due to concerns over cost, public interest and changing card requirements.
Under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, Canadians travelling to the United States will require a passport or other secure identification as of June 2009.
In July 2008, the government announced the EDL program as an alternative identification option to passports.
The program involved the co-operation of several diverse organizations including the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Canada Border Services Agency and Citizenship and Immigration Canada, according to a release on SGI’s website.
“Our government has been concerned for some time with factors including changing card requirements, unknown public demand for the card, privacy and security issues, start-up costs and costs going forward for many years for Saskatchewan, and the staffing requirements to deliver this program indefinitely,” according to Ken Cheveldayoff, Crown Corporations minister. 

A Vancouver resident is being ordered to pay a Cdn$1,000 fine after being convicted of trying to bribe an ICBC employee.
Kim Hen Huynh took his eighth road test on Aug. 21, 2007.
When the driver examiner told him he had failed again, he placed four Cdn$100 bills on the examiner’s open folder and said “Happy Birthday! Can you help me?”
Huynh pleaded guilty to bribery and fraud and was ordered to pay the Cdn$1,000 fine.