MPP Randy Hillier (Lanark-Frontenac-Lennox and Addington) is rallying the public to join him at Tri-Board Student Transportation Services on Wednesday, December 14 at 2pm to set up and decorate a Christmas Tree in protest of their decoration policy.

The public is invited to bring ornaments for the tree, garland and any other decorations suitable for the Christmas Tree.  People are also invited to bring Christmas cards and messages for the staff at Tri-Board along with their petitions. Carolling will be welcomed for those so inclined.

Mr. Hillier will be delivering his petition, which in only two days has thousands of signatories, asking the Board to repeal their ban on decorations in school buses.

“The Board has the right to know the level of opposition there is to their policy,” remarked Hillier.  “I also thought we would deliver a bit of Christmas cheer to what must  surely be a very gloomy workplace these days.”

The Board insists that the policy against decorations is a safety issue, after back-tracking on an earlier statement that it was a human rights issue.

“We have a number of laws on the books regarding public safety with motor vehicles, commercial vehicles and school buses, including laws to prevent distracted driving. If this truly was a safety issue, there would be a law addressing it. I guess I have more faith in our school bus drivers to be diligent about safety than Tri-Board does.”

“It’s time to end this attack on and erosion of our traditions.”

Tri-Board Student Transportation Services is located at 81 Dairy Avenue in Napanee.