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Subject: Canadian Auto Manufacturers and the Federal Government are restricting Canadian consumers from purchasing lower priced American vehicles. Based on 2006 sales volume and very conservative numbers provided by Stats Canada, more than $4.0 billion dollars a year is being gouged out of hard working Canadians!

Backgrounder: Robert Lamb is the Owner of a 2008 Honda Civic EXL. He purchased the car in the U.S. with a savings of $5,500 over the same car in Canada. Transportation Canada has ruled the car inadmissible! As reported last week in the Gazette by Jan Ravensbergen many many more people across the country are stuck in limbo. They are angry and frustrated with Transport Canada!

Mr. Harper,

Back in the years when all Canadians took the big leap forward into NAFTA we were told by our leaders that this was for the best overall solution to secure our future as a strong united economic power. We were told that protectionist policies would disadvantage our citizens; we would be swept away by the rest of the world as other nations were taking advantage of “globalization”. We were told by our leaders at the time that we would have to swallow our medicine and change our ways. Many people in Canada were hurt by this shift. We voted though, and we agreed to go down this path. Over the years, as our population grew and our distinct Canadian ability to survive provided us with many great opportunities. We turned them into many success stories.

Some may say that a lower dollar protected us as we evolved and clearly many Multinational Companies took advantage. But today it is different. It is apparent that many Manufacturers have not been able to adjust to the rapid rise of our dollar and that many of these Multinational Companies have not adjusted their prices over the last few years as our dollar rose. It is also apparent that Canadian citizens are not getting a fair deal when it comes to pricing of goods ranging from books, to food, to tires and Automobiles. I was recently quoted $150 per winter tire that included a $20 discount. The tire shops in Plattsburg quoted me $98 U.S. and would include storage of my summer tires.

The Canadian Auto manufacturers, through their multinational companies and Transport Canada appear to be working to protect their inflated prices and isolate the Canadian consumer from taking advantage of our strong dollar. Price discrepancies between the models for each country vary anywhere from 18 to 40%. Just check out a tale of two prices.

The purpose of this letter is to appeal to your common sense for the overall protection and good of the citizens of Canada and Quebec. You were elected by the people to protect them and look after their best interests.

Recently the US offices of the major Japanese auto manufacturers, particularly Honda and Toyota, have threatened all US dealerships with penalties if they sell cars to Canadians. They also state they will not honor the warranty of a U.S market car that is purchased by a Canadian and is driven in Canada. The process to approve U.S market cars into Canada is flawed. It depends on manufacturers to certify whether their vehicles meet all Canadian safety, emissions and other regulatory standards. The manufacturer’s decision is then posted on a detailed website maintained by the Registrar of Imported Vehicles. It’s a self-certification regime. I am told the manufacturer’s can declare a car inadmissible and not be required to provide any explanations!

The latest “gem” appears to be that these Manufacturers are now all hiding behind the new immobilizer standard CMVSS 114 introduced on September 1st. This was a good law with good intentions. It added more security to the car in an effort to reduce crime in Canada. The Car makers have known about this for over 5 years. Inadvertently, our legislatures have somehow introduced a law that provides the Automakers the ability to lock out America market cars from being sold in Canada. In this day and age were interoperability is the “catch all” phrase, where common standards, systems and terminology make it easy for us to compete globally our Transport Canada group has formulated a standard that is apparently incompatible from the rest of the world. Although if I am an American citizen, I was told that Honda America would provide me with a letter stating that my car, a 2008 Honda EXL meets Canadian Standards. I was also told by a an individual close to the RIV ( Registrar of Imported Vehicles) that I could not add a compliant 3rd party Immobilizer on top of the apparent non-compliant one installed by the manufacturer.

Just recently the Insurance bureau of Canada has stated the contrary.

The process of importing a car into Canada is very easy to follow. The people that work for the RIV, Transportation Canada and the border service folks for both countries have treated me very well. I was impressed with their overall professionalism, at the same time taking the time to understand my problem and find a way to help me. Their leaders though, or management need to be reminded that they need to manage this process as service oriented business.

I would like to also make you aware of the Transportation Canada “Gaffs” by that have been perpetrated on the average Canadian citizen.

• The September listing of acceptable vehicles at one time included 2008 Hondas. Many people viewed the web site and made their buying decision based on this list. I visited the dealer in the U.S. three times to make my purchase and each time I witnessed up to 5 or 6 people or Quebecers in the show room. We were all told no problem, the process is easy, and all 2008 Honda models are admissible. Last month we were told it was a mistake! Well what a mistake it was. It sounds like the managers at TC and the RIV don’t care give a damn if a mistake costs several people 20, 30, or 40 thousands of dollars. I would suspect that someone on the lower levels of Honda America did send in the information approving all the vehicles, but that it was quashed when TC and the higher ups realized what was going to happen. The words “subject to change” is ridiculous. Does that mean that if I am going to buy a car in the U.S. I need to bring my computer with me and be hitting refresh all the way through the border and until I am issued a Form 2. Does this mean that after I give my cheque to the dealer that the deal “is subject to change”. This process needs to change. Once a car is on the list it should stay on the list, or people that purchased based on this error should be given an exemption.
• Last week many people were granted and issued letters of amnesty. They were told that if they purchased their vehicles prior to November 1st, that it would be ok to proceed. These letters were given only to SUV, Van and Truck buyers, passenger vehicles (or the more popular – lower cost saving cars were not to be granted amnesty). This is very upsetting for those poor folks with these vehicles sitting idle in their driveways. Then a few days later these so called “amnesty” was withdrawn and all the individuals told to return their vehicles. It is a good example of the “flip-flopping” going on in Transport Canada today.
• I am personally aware of individuals that purchased the same model as I, more than a week after my purchase, and they were fully approved and are now driving in the streets of Quebec with their Quebec plates. They have a manufactured date that is after the September 1st immobilizer law was implemented.

I could go on listing many other reasons. The list of injustices is quite long. Right now many people in similar situations are working with me. We will be contacting other people and we will grow this network significantly and continue to protest the manner in which this Conservative Led Government is treating its citizens….

If I go to Wal-Mart and buy socks for $1.99, and then I find the same socks at Sears for .99, Wal-Mart will refund the difference. In Quebec if I am charged $5.00 for an item that should be $3.00 I an entitled to the item for free. That is the law. Competition and accountability for mistakes. This is the issue.

My friends and I were allowed to bring in an “illegal car” into the country and they are sitting idle in our driveways. Management at Transport Canada and the Automakers treat us like the plague. They are frustrating our families and are making our lives miserable. There is something extremely wrong here!!!.

PLEASE CORRECT THIS INJUSTICE TODAY!!!!!!