Member Advisory - March 23, 2011 A Message from the Director of Public Affairs
The rumours of a spring federal election are many and all political parties are preparing for it by putting the final touches on their campaign strategy. The critical vote is Friday afternoon – that will be the deciding motion as to whether we are in election or not this weekend. Most of the parties have given directives to their candidates to reserve office space for headquarters, telephone lines to reach voters and recruiting volunteers to help out in this 30+ days campaign.
Although everyone is preparing for the contest, the situation in Ottawa is still very fluid and there is still a healthy possibility that this campaign may only happen this fall or later. The health of the leader of the NDP may be a factor in determining if his party will want to trigger an election by not supporting the budget and all parties are influenced by the polls that are commissioned almost weekly.
As you all know, AIA Canada works hard to influence decision-makers in Ottawa on industry matters. The aftermarket is a major component of the auto industry and the Canadian economy. When we consider the government’s general revenue (taxes paid) and job creation in every region of Canada, without a doubt we are a force to be reckoned with. For this reason, we feel confident in making our members’ needs known to all elected officials at the federal and provincial level.
You, our members, are leaders in your community. Some of you are key stakeholders in your region and even at the national level. For this reason, you can expect a visit from a number of political candidates during the campaign as they will seek your support. They will seek your support, the support of your family and of your staff as well.
During their visit, we encourage you to educate them on the issues that affect your industry and your community. We will be sending out to you shortly a document with talking points on programs and funding your association seeks from government. We encourage you to familiarize yourself with these talking points as they may be helpful to you during your discussion with the candidates.
About AIA Canada The Automotive Industries Association of Canada (AIA) is a national trade association representing the automotive aftermarket industry in Canada. The aftermarket is an $18.7 billion industry that employs more than 420,200 people. The industry is composed of companies that manufacture, distribute and install automotive replacement parts, accessories, tools, and equipment. AIA represents manufacturers, re-builders, manufacturers agents, warehouse distributors, national distributors, buying groups, wholesalers, machine shops, retailers, and through its councils, the interests of collision repair shops and automotive service and repair outlets. AIA's mandate is to promote, educate and represent members in all areas that impact the growth and prosperity of the industry.
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For more information, please contact: Joel Bernard Director of Public Affairs AIA Canada 1272 Wellington Street West Ottawa, ON K1Y 3A7 800-808-2920, ext 234 Joel.Bernard@aiacanada.com
