This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Hi Trio Trev, I wouldhave loved to attend, I heard about it this weekend while attending the CIAA sponsered re-flash trainingin Calgary. It was a little short for notice, keep us posted on the meeting.

REPLY 

Hey CALIBER, you didn't MISS the meeting. The meeting is tomorrow, Wednesday, October 29th at 6:30 p.m., and your attendance is most welcome. After the small notice posted in the Lethbridge Herald today, I've had a couple calls this morning from interested diesel shop owners. The way things look, it's the more, the merrier so check our web site for a map to our location. www.haroldsautoservice.com

We need to have this issue a topic of conversation in ALL shops. We have a petition that we will be inviting all attendees to sign tomorrow.

Also we are meeting with Rick Casson, MP for Lethbridge on Tuesday November 4th . Unfortunately Mr Casson is in Ottawa this week and will miss the Wednesday meeting, but Art Wilderman will be present on the 4th to lend the strength of his voice & information to our meeting with Mr. Casson.

It is imperitive for ALL shops to raise their voice - can't hear you if you don't speak up.

Clients in our shop have been outraged when reading about the situation, so a petition and a couple information sheets on your front counter can go a long ways to educate the general public and increase the pressure on manufacturers to maintain a level playing field for the ENTIRE industry.

Have a great day and hope to see you tomorrow.

Beverly & Brian @ Harold's Auto Service

REPLY 

Hi Beverly&Brian, I will not be ableto make the meeting this time, thats what I meant when I posted. Our clients are outraged as well learn about the situation.
Say hi to Art for me, and ask him how he thought the weekend was in Calgary, he truly put in an enormous effort. It's nice to have someone care about the industry.

REPLY 

This past weekend I attended the re-flash training in Calgary. Although it was in my eyes a great success' the attendance could have been better...

Art Wilderman put forward a great deal of time and effort to make the weekend a success. The true value of the CIA is felt when attending such events. We, as the future progresses need to become more unified. When attending any course or seminar, turn and make a connection with a fellow shop owner or technician, it is amzing what that person may be able to add to your business.

I would like to personally thank Art for bringing us together. Without this organization it WILL be beyond our generation before the automotive industry becomes more unified.

REPLY 

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Hi guys, are there any links to the press coverage, stories or news castings that might have developed from the meeting?

REPLY 

I don't know where you are located, but would be happy to tell you what we did to "stir the pot" in southern Alberta. I have materials I can email to you to help you host a meeting and I know Art would love to attend and speak to the issues at hand. You can call me toll-free at 1-866-229-4664 or email me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Protecting your rights as an independent service provider does not come easy and does not come cheap!

Moving forward on the Right to Repair initiative is a costly venture both in personal time and financial outlay. The executive of the CIAA and others are actively pursuing the goal of a level playing field for independent service providers, jobbers, associated industry and dealerships alike.

They are working to ensure YOUR future, YOUR financial success and YOUR business independence.

We cannot expect these individuals to fund this venture from their own pockets - a situation that I'm quite certain is occurring as an annual budget of approximately $120,000 does not go far in these days of rapidly increasing costs. No-one in the CIAA is getting rich from their involvement.

ALL sectors of the independent automotive market MUST be willing to buck up ........................ literally.

We again throw out our challenge to ALL CIAA members and non-members alike. Please examine your own financial status and your own committment to your industry and to this initiative. .

We challenge you to take time to make a small calculation at the end of each month and commit to a $0.25 per invoice per month surcharge over and above the nominal $75.00/month CIAA membership. If that amount doesn't fit your cash flow, find an amount that does fit and contribute that.

This additional contribution will help those who are working so hard on the Right to Repair issue to PROTECT YOUR FUTURE.

If you're not a member of the CIAA, become a member. Make a few phone calls, host a meeting, talk to your member of parliament, talk to other independent service providers in your home area. Get to know the issues - get to know the people who support your industry in your community.

THIS IS AN INVESTMENT IN YOUR OWN FUTURE AND THE FUTURE OF OUR INDUSTRY.

REPLY 

Recent CIAA discussions brought up the subject of staffing and its related stresses. Lately' in most of Canada, there has been a shortage of qualified automotive service technicians. One option discussed was that of bringing in an employee from out of country. There has been some attempt at doing this by a couple of members, they have expressed that it has been a struggle and are still waiting after months.
Has anyone been successful at this? What were some of the obsticles you you had to deal with? And is there anything that can be done to speed up the process?
Sharing this type of information will likely help others wondering what to do.

REPLY 

if we are seeing a variation in qualifications of techs across canada, what sort of "shortcomings" can we expect from international techs?

if all the news is true about the tech job losses due to cutbacks, i think there should be a very large pool of trained techs to draw from within our own provincial borders.

REPLY 

if we are seeing a variation in qualifications of techs across canada, what sort of "shortcomings" can we expect from international techs?

if all the news is true about the tech job losses due to cutbacks, i think there should be a very large pool of trained techs to draw from within our own provincial borders.

REPLY 

I'm quite looking forward to the "availability" of technicians. Its not that I want them to have to lose their jobs, but it will be nice to here of some quality employees who actually care about their job. Maybe even start taking a bit of pride in what they do.
Oops there I go day dreaming again.

REPLY 

during the ciaa board meeting i was reminded of this forum.
seeing that there are numerous forums for techs and owners to align to, how do we muster up some interest with this one and more importantly what are the "rules of engagement"?

REPLY 

Firstly I am no computer tech , and I do not know what the rules are, or should be.
I do think that we need to structure the forum, maybe as we contact the members we can find out what they would want/use in a forum, from there I think it will develop. Obviously there needs to be a forum moderator, to insure that the forum is being used as it was intended. Other than that, Possibly a program to operate it (again I'm not sure what that entails). I can ask my computer guy what he would suggest.
Mike.

REPLY 

well i'm sure we can practice the same policies that are in place at other sites. yes they do need to be written up and moderated. having witnessed how sideways a conversation can go within a moderated forum, i can asure you it will happen here too.
how many souls have registered?
who currently is running the forum?

REPLY 

how many souls have registered? I don't know...
who currently is running the forum? I don't know that either.
I have spoken to my "Tech" guy, and he has forwarded me a couple of free software downloads for forums.
He said that there are a couple of different programs out there depending on how the server is set up, this website runs its web pages using, Windows and Microsoft's Active Server Pages, but if it were to be run on a different server it may be running UNIX+PHP. Who should we contact?
MIke.

REPLY 

anything that is posted here is cc to me for review. If anything questionable is posted it will be removed.

REPLY 

Jim Fraser of warehouse services and I had a meeting with MP Tim Uppal on Saturday. In short he felt that the Bill was a good idea but he had some issues as to how it was written, in particular the CEPA he wasn't clear on what the Bill wanted with that. With that, he cant guarantee support at this time, he will keep us posted as he hears from Brian Masse.
Any other meetings out there?
Mike.

REPLY 

Open to any and all automotive shops, jobbers, suppliers and anyone else interested in the industry.
Come and learn how to get customers to your door!!!!
I am a local testimonial to how well just it works!!!!
Come and see for yourself, I promise you won't be dissapointed.

REPLY 

Hi, this is Rita Kause, President of the CIA ASSOCIATION.

This coming Wednesday, June 10, at 1:00 PM Mountain time, I’ll be holding a last-minute free teleseminar with Ron Ipach, North America’s leading advisor to the independent auto repair industry – and I’d like you to join us.

For the past 11 years, Ron has been helping auto repair shop owners all over the world to get and keep all the best quality customers that their shops can handle.

In fact, because of the clever marketing strategies that I’ve learned from Ron, my husband Mel and I have grown our little rural shop (the closest town is 20 miles away!) from doing a mere $540,000/year 3 years ago to now doing well over $1,100,000 year – yes, even in this lousy economy.

Let’s face it, our economy isn’t doing so well and it’s going to get much worse before it gets better. Ron has agreed to join me on a telephone conference for about 30 minutes where we will be discussing how we shop owners can not only survive, but to thrive in this lousy economy.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

Here are the details that you’ll need to join us on the call:

Wednesday, June 10th @ 1:00 Mountain
Call 512-597-6020 and enter code 788546#

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

I hope you can join us on the call,

All my best wishes,

Rita Kause
President CIA ASSOCIATION

REPLY 

this has the beginnings of a shop unity or seperation topic.

there are a few that are chiming inwith their thoughts, some positive, some against the whole idea and there are the curiuos onlookers.

there seems to be alot of confusion about what this means.perhaps we should polish up or ideas and post them on this webpage. that way when their is a question raised we can direct them here, rather than have segmented discussions in multiple forums.

REPLY 

WHAT DO YOU THING THE IDEAL GOVERNMENT VEHICLE INSPECTION MODEL SHOULD LOOK LIKE?
Elements for consideration!

• Ontario and BC with an annual environmental emissions test.
• Most other provinces have some type of mechanical fitness inspection done annually or every two years.
• All provinces have a commercial vehicle inspection program.
• Should the fee for the inspection be set by government or by the shop?
• How often should the inspection be done?
• Should emissions and mechanical fitness be in the same inspection?
• How expensive an inspection will the public tolerate and still keep the political party in office.
• Do you see government inspections a marketing advantage or a curse to profitable oppertations?

REPLY