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In continuance of a previous story, "illegal street racing rehab", we are going to focus on the larger story of the video used for that article. Within that video, Canadian officials were seen destroying cars preemptively despite the fact they had never been used for illegal street racing. If you live in Canada and your car is modified, you are at risk of confiscation and destruction by your government. To my readers in Canada, you guys need to step up and fight for your right to modify your vehicle. Don't let your government walk all over your creative right to modify vehicles. Sure this may sound right to the government and it might be a way to stop street racing, but did they ever consider the fact it doesn't take modified vehicles to street race? It only takes two cars, stock or modified. So is the next step to destroy all cars? That's their logic.
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This is totally tyrannical and has no place in the free world. I would expect this from a communist country, but never our friendly neighbor to the north. This violates your right as a vehicle owner not only to add performance, but to customize it the way you want. Want to add a body kit, custom rims, or a fancy new paint job? Guess what, your government wants to destroy your vehicle and your sense of individualism. Even if the vehicle never sees a single street race, or is even modified towards street racing with high performance parts, according to the statement below they want to destroy your vehicle. Quote from video below: "If you want to get in the business of street racing, souping it up, or driving it, this is what's going to happen to your car. We're going to take it away from you, and we're going to destroy it."
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This is not only horrible for creative spirit of Canada, it's going to literally kill the aftermarket parts business and send thousands of workers into unemployment lines. The Canadian aftermarket parts industry is a lot bigger than you think! Think about all of the workers that are involved in parts industry. There is engineers who develop the products, CAD operators who build the files for assembly, workers on the production line, machinist fixing and building assembly machines, hundreds of performance shops who install these products, and more. This isn't just taking away the creative rights of Canada, this is destroying a strong support of the Canadian economy.
Just how big is the Canadian automotive performance market? It's huge! Take a look at ShopInCanada.com's automotive performance list, it has 144 businesses listed as being apart of the industry. That's 144 businesses that will be no more if this law is taken seriously. According to Wikipedia, "In Canada, the automotive aftermarket is a $16.7 billion (CDN) industry that employs more than 410,000 people (source: AIA Canada)." That's 1.2% of the entire country's population facing unemployment just because they want to preemptively destroy modified vehicles. Take a look at their gross domestic product, and aftermarket parts represent 1.2% of their total GDP. It's not only going to destroy employment, it's going to take a huge chunk out of Canada's GDP resulting in further damage. This has got to stop, I urge our Canadian brothers and sisters to not sit back and let this happen. This is bigger than just "no more K&N filters", this ruling will affect your lives in many ways. You must fight for your right my creative friends.
Quotes from Ontario Attorney General Michael Bryant
"Cars adapted for street racing can be seized and destroyed, even if charges haven't been laid and a race has not taken place"
"If we can establish someone has parts and they're juicing up their car, obviously for the purpose of street racing, then we can seize those vehicles."
"We will seize it and you will never see it again. We will crush your car, we will crush the parts."
"Cars built for street racing are as dangerous as explosives, and can cause catastrophic damage."
"We don't need to wait until the car hits the road fully loaded."
Video content: Canadians are crushing modified cars
Boo this man! He wants to destroy your country!
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Comments
Is there some kind of written law about this... because this just sounds like "chicken little" right now. As far as I can tell you're basing everything off the comments of one nervous guy being interviewed on the news. One would logically assume that the cars being crushed were from people actually caught street racing. Find me an actual law that they're drafting preventing the customization of vehicles and I will oppose it wholeheartedly. But nothing in this video talks about "preemptively" taking vehicles as you put it. I can definitely see some cause for concern for those of us who like customizing and individualizing our vehicles, but it doesn't seem like this video is taking the hard line that you are suggesting it is (i.e destroying any customized vehicles).
Thanks for your comment Ryan. You are right, with out a solid foundation this article was nothing more than hearsay. However, I've found direct quotes from Attorney General Michael Bryant and added them to the article, sourced to CBC News. I will continue to look to see if I can find an actual law.
For more see Bill 203. Reading through it, I believe they have the right to take your vehicle based on an amendment. The language and loops of this bill are hard to understand, it would be best to have a lawyer look at it. But I think that's the bill we are discussing and what gives them the right to destroy modified vehicles. If anyone else knows what bill / law is that gives them justice in doing so, please post it here. Thanks!
It's incredible that you guys are reporting this NOW. This dog-and-pony show happened YEARS ago (I think 2006?) - and those cars were NOT seized for streetracing, but rather it was revealed in the days following this incident that they were acquired through the Repair and Storers Lein Act (not the Civil Remedies Act per the video). So you guys are aware, Bill 203 DID NOT PASS in Ontario. And that this public destruction of "modified" cars was done in reaction to an accident that had occurred mere days earlier that was allegedly a result of racing, but was later revealed to be a case involving the victim's having been impaired by alcohol. A completely different law DID pass in 2007owever a different bill did end up passing under a Liberal Gov't a few years ago wheras amendments would be made to the Highway Traffic Act that allowed for the temporary suspension of driver's and a 10-day impoundment of vehicles suspected of "Stunt Driving" or "Street Racing". This law is currently under rev
Micheal - email me and I'll provide some links to the current wording of the law, as well as the transcript from a recent meeting of legal specialists in regards to getting this law overturned.
It should also be interesting to note that (now Former) Attorney General Micheal Bryant is currently facing manslaughter charges after he allegedly ran down a bicycle courier with his Saab after an altercation and has obviously removed himself from the public eye.
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