Let’s be clear. The people in Toronto’s taxi industry are no doubt upright citizens providing an important service. But only a dreamer would agree to permit this industry to operate unregulated. There is no business more likely to invent abusive practices than the hackney game. That’s why it is important that the Uber (so-called) ride-sharing operation is properly regulated just like the rest of the taxi business in Toronto. This isn’t about trying to deny the reality of the Internet or any other modern device. It is about making sure that all taxis are safe and are safely driven. That cab drivers can find their way to City Hall and that tourists aren’t held up for added fares or dumped in the middle of nowhere. Mayor Tory may like Uber but he has struck the wrong note by suggesting that those who want to see it regulated are somehow behind the times.
