Manitoba urges Ottawa to create program for military drivers’ licence

WINNIPEG – Members of the Manitoba legislature has unanimously passed a resolution calling for the creating of a national driver’s licence program for military members.

Under existing law, military personnel are required to get a personal drivers’ licence for the province where they reside.

Reg Helwer, a Conservative member of the legislature for Brandon West, says this causes significant challenges for military personnel who are posted to bases in other provinces on a regular basis.

Helwer sponsored the resolution.

The resolution urges the provincial government to work with other provincial governments, the federal government and the Department of National Defence to adopt the new licence program.

The Conservatives say this would assist more than 5,300 regular and reserve military personnel in Manitoba as they move from one posting to another elsewhere in Canada.

“Military personnel make many sacrifices in the defence of our country and this is one way we can give something back and thank them for their service,” Helwer said Thursday.