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Robert, Read your translation, thanks! It was very helpful, but I didn't find the link on the website, but rather via a Google search. The English language page doesn't have much on it, and/or the links are down. Wendell > > Just for information purposes, the ST. Lawrence River diving > that is so good lies between Kingston, ONTARIO, and Cornwall, > ONTARIO. NOT Quebec so all is safe. > > More problematic, because my idiot government did not want to > join in a continental security perimeter with the US, is access > to the wrecks on the American side of the river. > > As Canadians, we now have to check in with the US coast guard to > go dive wrecks just a stone's throw from the embarkation point. > > More information can be had on the Quebec diving regulations at > http://www.fqas.qc.ca where you will find a pdf in French of the > actual regualtion and a translation by yours truly of a text > explaining the reguylations. Note, this text wqas written before > the coming into foirce of the regualtiosn and may be slighlty > different. An e-mail to the above organization will help. > > In the final analysis, there are no scuba police to arrest you > foir an excess of depth (or speed of ascent :^) > >[\]Robert Wood >The St. Lawrence River - fresh, warm, visible diving. > >-----Original Message----- >From: wgrogan@dc*.ne* [mailto:wgrogan@dc*.ne*] >Sent: Friday, June 07, 2002 12:54 PM >To: techdiver@aquanaut.com >Cc: dirne@ya*.co* >Subject: New Regulations for diving in Quebec > > >Just got this from the Canadian techdiver group. Looks bad. I am still >stumbling through the regulations, all in French, of course, but to dive in >Quebec (ie. St. Lawrence River/seaway) you will have to buy a certificate >from the Quebec diver group. No mention of any testing allowable in English >(or any other civilized language). Wendell > >>To PADI's Québec Members >> >>A legislative framework to regulate recreational diving in Québec, >first >>conceived some five years ago, has now come into effect. >> >>The new rules state that, beginning April 1, 2002, in addition to >whatever >>certifications they may hold from recognized dive training agencies, >all >>recreational divers in Québec, including technical divers, must obtai n >a >>certificate issued under the authority of the Fédération québéc oise >>des > >>activités subaquatiques (FQAS) certifying the level for which they ar e >>qualified to dive. In addition, they will be prohibited from maki ng >dives >>beyond that level. Similarly, anyone providing dive instruction i n >Québec >>must obtain a certificate issued under the authority of the FQAS >certifying >>the level for which they are qualified to give instruction and they >will be >>prohibited from giving instruction at a higher level. These basic >legal >>restrictions, found in the Québec Act Respecting Safety in Sports, (L >>oi >sur >>la sécurité dans les sports) will be implemented through the >>government-approved By-law respecting qualifications for recreational < BR> >>underwater diving (Règlement sur la qualification en plongée >subaquatique >>récréative), which also became effective on April 1, 2002. Th e new >rules >>also apply, although with some differences, to divers and instructors < >>BR> qualified outside Québec who wish to carry on their dive activities >>i n Québec. >> >>Before these rules were finalized, PADI became actively involved in >>sustained, direct efforts to persuade the Québec government that the >>objective of safety in recreational diving, which PADI has embraced >since >>its beginnings, could best be promoted by relying as much as possible >>on >>existing structures and certification procedures of PADI and other >>reputable, internationally recognized training agencies, which have >been >>validated by decades of experience. In a formal brief submitted t o >>the > >>government two years ago, PADI thoroughly reviewed the issues and made< >>BR> >a >>number of specific recommendations both on administrative and >substantive >>levels regarding the then-proposed new rules. Before the final >adoption of >>the By-law, PADI presented what it considered to be convincing >arguments to >>the government's representatives and believed that the government was < >>BR> favourably disposed to many of PADI's views. In the result, PADI< >>BR> regrets > >>that the Québec government did not accept its views to a greater >extent. >> >>The new rules are the culmination of a process that began more than >five >>years ago with recommendations made by Québec coroner Denis Boudrias in >a >>series of reports on dive fatalities in Quebec. In 1997, provisio ns >>relating to recreational dive safety were added to the Act Respecting < BR> >>Safety in Sports (Loi sur la sécurité dans les sports). The e ffect of >the >>new provisions was suspended, however, until a government-approved >by-law >>could be adopted which would provide for the determination of levels of > >>qualification for divers and instructors, the content of qualifying >>examinations and the issuance of certificates resulting from such >>examinations. All of these matters were to be the responsibility of a >>government-designated non-profit organization established for the >purpose >>of ensuring the safety of divers. In 1999, the Québec governmen t >>designated the FQAS to be the organization responsible for implementing > >>this new system of regulation. Subsequently, in March 2000, after >>consultations between the government and the FQAS, a draft by-law was < BR> >>published for comment by interested parties. >> >>At that time, PADI hired well-known Montreal law firm Heenan Blaikie >and >>its counsel, former Québec prime minister and justice minister, Pierr e >Marc >>Johnson, to assist PADI in preparing a brief to the Québec government >>commenting on the draft by-law. PADI invested considerable time a nd >effort >>in preparing its comments and made a substantial number of >recommendations >>in its brief regarding changes to the draft by-law. A complete co py >>of > >>PADI's brief may be found on the PADI member Web site. >>http://www.padimembers.com/cgi-bin/reqpg.exe?ALUM/CAN//+/canad a/news/Qu >ebecRegulations/default >> Following the submission of PADI's brief in May 2000, PADI and i ts >>representatives were able to speak with all the key Québec government >>representatives involved in the file, including the ministers >responsible >>for the legislation. Although the government did not accept all o f >>the > >>recommendations made by PADI, the final changes to the By-law did give >>effect to some of the points raised by PADI. >> >>At this time, the government has assured PADI that the implementation >>of >>the new rules will be followed closely and that the government will be< BR> >open >>to making readjustments dictated by experience. Accordingly, we would < >>BR> strongly urge our members to relay to PADI any information they may >have >>regarding their experience with the new rules so that we may be in the< >>BR> >best >>position to make further comments to the Québec government at the >>appropriate time. >> >>At present, PADI does not have information regarding details of the >>procedures which the FQAS intends to follow to implement the new rules. > >>PADI, accordingly, refers its members to the FQAS for further >information >>in this connection. The FQAS can be reached at 4545, ave Pierre-De >>Coubertin, C.P. 1000, Succursale M, Montréal, Québec; Telephone: (5 14) >>252-3009; Fax: (514) 254-1363; e-mail (courriel): plongee@fq*.qc*.ca* ; >>Internet: http://www.fqas.qc.ca . >-- >Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'. Send >subscribe/unsubscribe requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'. > > -- Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'. Send subscribe/unsubscribe requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'.
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