Canadian Legislative Issues

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On September 21, Volkswagen Canada retrieved all diesel cars off the market after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) accused the company of cheating on air pollution tests for many years. The emission control software would pollute from 10 to 40 times more than the emission standards.

"We have issued, as of today, a stop-sale order to our dealers in Canada for all the affected vehicles. That’s pending resolution of this matter," declared Thomas Tetzlaff, Volkswagen Canada spokesperson.

The cars already on the road have not been recalled yet as this is not a safety-related issue. However, it could take up to one year for Volkswagen to come up with a recall plan and develop a solution. Tetzlaff mentioned the company is working with the regulators of the EPA in order to implement an efficient plan of action.

The models affected by the Volkswagen car recall are the Golf, Jetta, Passat, and Beetle as far as 2009 for certain models, which are all geared with a 2 liter, 4-cylinder turbo direct diesel engine. Volkswagen has sold 50,000 cars so far this year within the country.



A few weeks remain before the election on October 19 and most of the parties have either laid out their platforms or have highlighted various commitments with regards to specific issues, including the environment. On September 24, the Federal Party Leaders participated in a French-language debate, held in Montreal at the Radio-Canada Headquarters. Participating in the debate were Conservative Leader Stephen Harper, Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau, NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair, Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe, and Green Party Leader Elizabeth May.

On the topic of the environment and of importance to NAFA members, a question was raised about financial incentives regarding electric and hybrid vehicles. Thomas Mulcair indicated that he would like to prioritize the electric transportation sector and wants Canada to become a champion in that industry. Stephen Harper argued that his government has significantly invested in research and green energy development in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Gilles Duceppe claimed that the Canadian government should follow the Quebec legislation on electric vehicles, which entails rebates on the purchases of electric and hybrid vehicles. Justin Trudeau and Elizabeth May did not add any comments.

It is evident that the environment remains an important issue in this federal election and the parties’ positions on this matter could have a potential impact for NAFA members and fleet managers. As more information of relevance is released, NAFA members will be updated.
 

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