Canadian Spec Cars reprise

[C M Smith <cmsmith@domain.elided>]

Provocative ain't it?

Canada has a very small car market compared to the US. We build a lot of 
cars for sale in the US, all US spec cars, funnily enough. It might be our 
biggest money maker that is manufactured as opposed to being dug, drilled, 
mined or cut off or out of  the land. When the US specifies cars comply 
with a certain standard, there's no way we can fail to follow suit, even if 
we thought it would be a good idea. Canada still drives far more North 
American made autos and trucks than those made in any other country.

But, my point was supposed to be that the US market is getting less and 
less diverse. Free markets are supposed to deliver more variety and choices 
due to open competition. The auto market in the US offers very few real 
alternatives, most manufacturers are producing the same old same old. This 
is a characteristic of a heavily protected market. Now I understand logic 
well enough not to leap to the conclusion that common characteristics prove 
cause and effect, but I conclude that the declining variety of vehicles 
available in the NA market is due to US protectionism in the form of their 
unique safety and emissions regulations (administered by at least three 
different regulatory bodies, two federal and one state). No one has put 
forth any argument to suggest this is an incorrect deduction (induction 
more correctly but....you know).

Why am I whining on and on about this? Sorry, I'll shut up. Just remember 
this issue is central to the ALFA less North American car market. And more 
or less Lotus less, Citroen/Renault/Peugeot less,  Opel less (not counting 
SAAB and Cadillac Opels) , and so on. Why is the US doing this if not to 
protect it's own auto industry? It's definitely depriving the average US 
citizen of the freedom of choice he or she so cherishes. The SUV issue just 
proves the US is not in fact REALLY committed to emission control or auto 
safety. The American public votes in politicians who support very 
restrictive passenger car standards, and then goes out in droves and buys 
passenger vehicles that don't comply with these standards.

I inadvertently (apparently) offended American digesters  and I thought I 
was just pointing out the obvious. I admire the US very much. I have family 
members living there. There is no doubt that the US is the most powerful 
nation the world has ever known. But I've been accused of having a narrow 
view of the US (among other similar groundless suggestions).... well, in 
response, remember those words of Robbie Burns about knowing one self.

And that gauntlet will just have to lie there I guess.


Michael Smith
Calgary, Alberta
Canada
91 Alfa 164L, White, original owner

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