Deadbeat pilots gumming up Transport's billing section

teacher · Post by **teacher** » Sun Jun 24, 2007 3:37 pm

Need I say more. There needs to be some clarification on our part as to the issuance of a license. This article makes it seem like we get a new certificate everytime we do the medical.

June 24, 2007

Deadbeat pilots gumming up Transport Canada's billing section

By DEAN BEEBY

OTTAWA (CP) - Deadbeat pilots who don't pay their bills are gumming up the works at Transport Canada.

Last year, about 12,000 pilots had not paid the mandatory $55 fee for medical certificates they received from the department, says an internal audit. Some owe for more than one certificate.

Altogether, they owed the government more than a million dollars, three-quarters of which was over 90 days in arrears. And the amount in arrears is climbing, having doubled in the last six years.

Tracking all those small accounts, and trying to collect the cash, is tying the department in knots.

"Collection difficulties and associated costs have increased," says the audit. The issue "continues to constitute a significant administrative burden to the department."

About 50,600 pilots currently licenced by Transport Canada for civil aviation are required to have regular medical checkups on a schedule that depends on age and type of flying. Commercial airline pilots over the age of 40, for instance, must have comprehensive medicals every six months. For private pilots under 40, it's a more basic medical every five years.

But the regulations as currently worded require the department to issue the certificates first, then collect the money later, not the other way around. Officials cannot refuse to issue a certificate to anyone who has passed the health checkup.

Making the problem worse, federal government policy says no interest can be charged unless it's a minimum of $10, which for a $55 certificate would take years to accumulate. Privacy laws also prevent the department's accountants from reporting the misbehaviour to credit-rating agencies.

"They have a responsibility to protect personal information," said Lucie Vignola, spokeswoman for Transport Canada. "If you did give information to an external credit-rating agency, then you'd be going against those Acts."

As the audit dryly notes: "There is little incentive for the pilots to settle their accounts in a timely fashion."

The only stick the department wields is the ability to turn over stale accounts to the Canada Revenue Agency, where amounts owed can be deducted from any tax refund being sent out. About 6,000 such accounts were with the agency last November, creating an administrative headache there as well.

The section of the Aeronautics Act that established the fees - first imposed in 1995 - is being amended to give the transport minister the power to suspend, or to refuse to issue or renew, certificates because of non-payment, as well as give greater recourse to the courts for collections.

But the omnibus bill that would make this and other changes to the Aeronautics Act did not pass third reading in the House of Commons, which has risen for the summer. That means it will be at least the fall before the department is given tougher enforcement tools.

In the meantime, Transport Canada is considering increasing the fee and extending the requirement for medical certificates to include air traffic controllers, student pilots and flight engineers - potentially worsening the arrears problems.

Almost three-quarters of the department's accounts receivable comprise pilots who owe these recurring fees.

A spokesperson for one of Canada's largest pilot groups, the Air Canada Pilots Association, was not immediately available for comment.

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2007 ... 86945.html

altiplano · Post by **altiplano** » Sun Jun 24, 2007 3:50 pm

Everyone keep it up. Don't cave in to paying an unfair tax where we receive NO SERVICE... Or start distributing AIM's for free... At least i could kinda justify paying it then...

bigsky · Post by **bigsky** » Sun Jun 24, 2007 4:00 pm

FKN govt is so stupid.

There are two solutions to this problem.

1. Drop the fees

or

2. Failure to pay the fee within-30 days invalidates the lic.

I have always said that the licence should have photo ID and a magnetic swipe. It would be permanent and would carry all of the info re PPC's, ratings and endorsements. But that would be way too simple and would probably cost a pile of bureaucrats their high paying jobs.

Solution - blame it on the pilot.

Widow · Post by **Widow** » Sun Jun 24, 2007 4:04 pm

I hope you all realize that's Bill C-6 they are talking about. The one that has been discussed and is stickied. The one you should all be aware of and fighting.

Who is writing the letter to the press about these fees that have been such a hot topic around here?

sky's the limit · Post by **sky's the limit** » Sun Jun 24, 2007 4:15 pm

The only "deadbeats" I see "gumming up" TC, are their employees....

Why should I pay a fee for nothing in return. They can keep garnishing my tax return for all I care, and if they forget, super.

stl

CD · Post by CD » Sun Jun 24, 2007 4:26 pm

More information on the history of the "fee" and what it is used for at these links:

AvCanada - Page 8, Post 199
AvCanada - Page 12, Post 284

sky's the limit · Post by **sky's the limit** » Sun Jun 24, 2007 4:37 pm

Thanks CD,

Some useful info there...

I seem to recall the "Fee" and Suicide Bomber link, now that you mention it....Lol.

stl

Ralliart · Post by **Ralliart** » Sun Jun 24, 2007 4:53 pm

Or start distributing AIM's for free

http://www.tc.gc.ca/publications/app/en ... rce=istore

Cat Driver · Post by **Cat Driver** » Sun Jun 24, 2007 5:31 pm

The section of the Aeronautics Act that established the fees - first imposed in 1995 - is being amended to give the transport minister the power to suspend, or to refuse to issue or renew, certificates because of non-payment, as well as give greater recourse to the courts for collections.

If this is in bill C-6 and is passed then we will have a real problem.

I wonder if the non-payment will be collected retroactive to the change in the act.

In the end the government will win as they have absolute power over the population.

Cat..... just another dead beat Canadian pilot.....

Mitch Cronin · Post by **Mitch Cronin** » Sun Jun 24, 2007 5:38 pm

Yup... I heard all about you deadbeat's today on the radio.... disgusting I tell you! ....just dispicable!

Pay up ya buggers! Else they'll just start taking it out of the rest of us poor innocent slobs!

Cat Driver · Post by **Cat Driver** » Sun Jun 24, 2007 6:31 pm

June 24, 2007

Deadbeat pilots gumming up Transport Canada's billing section

By DEAN BEEBY

OTTAWA (CP) - Deadbeat pilots who don't pay their bills are gumming up the works at Transport Canada.

Privacy laws also prevent the department's accountants from reporting the misbehaviour to credit-rating agencies.

I take it someone by the name of Dean Beeby is calling 12,000 pilots deadbeats?

"They have a responsibility to protect personal information," said Lucie Vignola, spokeswoman for Transport Canada. "If you did give information to an external credit-rating agency, then you'd be going against those Acts."

Huh?? I got a demand payment letter from a private collection company, so who in hell told them about my file?

snoopy · Post by **snoopy** » Sun Jun 24, 2007 7:26 pm

Could someone please tell me why this needs to be sticky'd? Aren't posts supposed to be "free market" - i.e. the hot topics will stay on top as long as they are of interest to the masses?

Widow · Post by **Widow** » Sun Jun 24, 2007 10:36 pm

Here is the relevent text as proposed in Bill C-6:

6. Subsection 4.4(6) of the Act is replaced by the following:

Security for Payment of Charges

(6) The Governor in Council may make regulations requiring persons who are subject to charges imposed under this section to deposit each year with the Minister security, in the form of a bond or letter of credit satisfactory to the Minister and in an amount satisfactory to the Minister, to ensure full payment of the charges to be imposed in the next following year.

Default of payment

(6.1) The Minister may suspend or refuse to issue, renew or amend a Canadian aviation document, or suspend or refuse to grant, renew or amend any privilege accorded by one, if the applicant for or the holder of the document, or the owner, operator or provider, as the case may be, of the aeronautical product, aerodrome, other facility, equipment or service to which the document relates, is in default of payment of any charge owed to the Minister under this section.

Notice

(6.2) The Minister shall serve the applicant, holder, owner, operator or provider, as the case may be, with notice of a decision made under subsection (6.1) and, in the case of a suspension, of the effective date of the suspension, which may not be earlier than 30 days after the notice is served.

Non-application of certain provisions

(6.3) Subsections (6.1) and (6.2) do not apply to a member of the Canadian Forces acting in the circumstances in the course of their duties in relation to a Canadian aviation document issued in respect of a military aeronautical product, a military aerodrome, any other military facility relating to aeronautics, military equipment, or a service relating to aeronautics provided by means of such an aeronautical product or such equipment or at such an aerodrome or facility.

xsbank · Post by **xsbank** » Sun Jun 24, 2007 10:38 pm

Told ya - don't read the f*cking newspapers, all they're good for is killing trees, putting under parrots and wrapping fish.

Just think, if you won't pay any attention to what Widow is trying to tell you, why do you pay such attention to the 'media?' Guy's a dork and plays upon the public's image of pilots as privileged and rich, which of course we all are, right guys? Doesn't bother to ask why we are taxed for our stupid pieces of paper and why so many of us are p*ssed off enough to not pay.

No possible way to rebut his blather.

Stupid, sensationalized BS written entirely to inflame the unwashed masses. You are smarter than that, right?

Crap, twaddle and codswallop.

Cat, I still mean to 'phone - crazy week.

the_professor · Post by **the_professor** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 4:00 am

$55.00 / 365 days = $0.15/day for Class 1 under 40.
$0.30/day if you're Class 1 over 40.

So 15 or 30 cents per day towards the administration costs of keeping tabs on your medical. Big f'ing deal.

Just pay the fee and STFU.

Rockie · Post by **Rockie** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 4:34 am

the_professor wrote:$55.00 / 365 days = $0.15/day for Class 1 under 40.
$0.30/day if you're Class 1 over 40.

So 15 or 30 cents per day towards the administration costs of keeping tabs on your medical. Big f'ing deal.

Just pay the fee and STFU.

I have to agree. There are much bigger windmills to tilt at than this.

TAT · Post by **TAT** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 5:15 am

Professor.. that sounds like age discrimination to me..

Guido · Post by **Guido** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 8:29 am

the_professor wrote:$55.00 / 365 days = $0.15/day for Class 1 under 40.
$0.30/day if you're Class 1 over 40.

So 15 or 30 cents per day towards the administration costs of keeping tabs on your medical. Big f'ing deal.

Just pay the fee and STFU.

Pal,
since you're obviously rolling in money - how about you just pick up the tab for us?

$55 isn't what this is about. This is about being charged a fee (tax) a) without any representation, b) that is being misrepresented as paying for medical administration (it's used for other things apparently - I have a letter from Merlin Preuss that states such.).

Cat Driver · Post by **Cat Driver** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 8:35 am

Guido, it is the Professors of this world that enable these money grabs by government with no value given.

There is nothing better in a bureaucrats mind than a sheep for the shearing and the professor is an excellent example of the sheep mentality...or is one of TC minions.

niwre · Post by **niwre** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 9:20 am

one of these days I'll find the time to call Merv Tweed and ask him a few questions about the $55