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Canadian bikers protest over insurance hikes
A rally against increasing bike insurance rates in the Canadian region of Quebec attracted between 15,000 and 20,000 motorcyclists in Montreal.
The province's vehicle insurance board, the Societe de l'Assurance Automobile du Quebec (SAAQ), has aggravated bikers with plans to increase their license and registration fees, prompting action from a large proportion of them.
The Comité d'Action Politique Motocycliste (CAPM), a body representing Quebec's bikers, has argued that the increases have been introduced because motorcycles are often involved in road accidents - ignoring the fact that in most of them bikers are the victims.
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Back in March, CAPM spokesman Normand Noiseaux warned: "We will have probably a lot of action beginning in a couple of weeks until the autumn, just to be sure that the government will understand that we are not willing to have those rates."
SAAQ says its bike insurance hikes are justified by a need to address a deficit between revenue and expenses since 1982 that has now reached an unmanageable $500 million and that the extra proceeds from motorcyclists are therefore vital.
However, bikers are aggrieved about having to bear the brunt of SAAQ's efforts to garner more revenue, with the price of registration rising from $253 to $430 next year, while for some sports models it will even reach $957.
Mr Noiseaux told the Montreal Gazette on Sunday that he believes SAAQ is finally listening to what motorcyclists feel about the proposed changes in bike insurance and that he expects it to make at least some change to its plans.
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