OTTAWA — Last-minute delays continue to hamper a reciprocal agreement between Canada and the U.S. on medical qualifications for truck drivers.

Transport Canada officials are still hopeful they can finalize a deal with the U.S. Dept. of Transportation this week, however.

“An exchange of formal letters between the two departments has taken place, and we’re in agreement on nearly all the basic principles,” said Brian Orrbine, senior advisor, road safety programs, with Transport Canada. “Unfortunately, there are concerns about certain medical conditions that would be exceptions to the agreement. Working through those concerns has taken longer than we had anticipated.”

The issues are related to hearing impairment, epilepsy and seizures, and diabetics who use insulin, he said.

Orrbine added that the U.S. DOT has agreed to accept the medical standards drivers must meet in order to receive a provincial commercial driver’s licence.

“I hesitate to say that something will be finalized this week, although we’re hopeful,” Orrbine said. “The frustration among truck drivers is something we understand. The fact is, the language in the letters and policies must be precise, and it has taken more time than we had thought it would.”

Transport Canada and the U.S. DOT have been working on a reciprocal deal on driver medical qualifications since June 1995. The process received a jolt of urgency in late September, when the Canadian Medical Protective Association, which insures more than 65,000 physicians in Canada, told members that conducting DOT physical exams would increase their risk of medical liability in the U.S. Many doctors have refused to conduct DOT medical exams ever since.

Both Transport Canada and the U.S. Federal Highways Administration require a 90-day period following any agreement; the CMPA has indicated it would rescind its recommendation during the 90-day period following a reciprocal agreement, allowing doctors to resume performing medical exams immediately.