“Driving While Suspended - Jail Time? Really?”

Honestly, how can the legislators claim that driving is a privilege and not a right (presuming you're not driving in a way that places others in danger)? It seems to me that they have legislated us into a society dependent on the car, then deliberately taken advantage of this for monetary gain with the HTA.

I drive a lot. For four years I went back and forth to school out west at UBC, on top of the daily driving I was doing as a safe & vault technician. I hit 9 demerit points shortly before a 3yr old conviction was about to expire and received a notice of a demerit point interview. The same week of the notice, I was layed off from my position due to cuts.

I'm jobless, 40K$ in debt, and there's no chance I can afford a bus ticket to this MTO interview 120km away. With no income, I couldn't immediately reschedule and they suspended my license. Tonight I needed to drive. Just my luck, pulled over and charged with driving while suspended.

The Highway Traffic Act is literally keeping me unemployed and in debt due to convictions for incredibly RETARDED offenses which exist only to generate ticket revenue. I have never once placed anyone in danger behind the wheel. I'm the most qualified locksmith in this city, but the HTA is hindering my ability to seek re-employment.

For example, 11km/h over in a 70km/h zone is one offense which led to points. When I made a comment that since this officer had the time to pull me over for such an offense he must have solved all the open violent crime cases he then presented me with another ticket for failing to indicate a lane change, which both of us knew was a flagrant lie.

Another time, I was caught on radar doing 140km/h at 2:00am on a rural stretch of the TransCanada in Saskatchewan where the limit is 110km/h. No cars in either direction for hundreds of km, on a modern freeway designed by engineers to safely handle cars at such speeds. WHY IS THAT A CRIME? Granted, if this was in rush hour traffic, I'd deserve to have the book thrown at me.

What can I do to get this *EDIT* behind me quickly, and get my license back so I can work and live like a normal human being again????? Would pulling down my pants in court and bending over the table make the process quicker? Should I get a lawyer? Should I try to complete the demerit point interview before appearing in court, or should I wait until after? Also, I had already paid the MTO their 150$ reinstatement fee shortly before this, but have not rescheduled the demerit interview, will I need to pay another reinstatement fee after this new 6 month suspension?