lawmen wrote:You ticket was required to be issued in both French and English by the cop because the demerit points are a provincial matter. The province has guaranteed you services and procedures will be provided in both languages even if you don't speak both languages. It's not an option.
My advice is that you do not respond to the ticket at all and file an appeal within 15 days of receiving the conviction notice. You will then argue that the ticket was defective on its face for not being in both languages and the Justice was required by law to quash the proceeding.
If you bring this information forward now, or request a trail to explain it, the court can fix it and you will be found guilty and a fine and points will be imposed, along with possibly higher insurance rates.
The only way to prevent the court from fixing a ticket with errors is to not respond to it at all.
The Provincial Offences Act articulates that laying a charge is a procedure under Part I and III.
The French Language Services Act guarantees you that all services and procedures will be provided in both French and English.
Provincial Offences Act Certificate of offence and offence notice
http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/statut ... _e.htm#BK4 3. (1) In addition to the procedure set out in Part III for commencing a proceeding by laying an information, a proceeding in respect of an offence may be commenced by filing a certificate of offence alleging the offence in the office of the court.
Commencement of proceeding by information
21. (1) In addition to the procedure set out in Parts I and II for commencing a proceeding by the filing of a certificate, a proceeding in respect of an offence may be commenced by laying an information.
French Language Services Act Definitions
1. In this Act,
http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/statut ... 0f32_e.htm "service" means any service or procedure that is provided to the public by a government agency or institution of the Legislature and includes all communications for the purpose.