AUTOMOTIVE

Industry panel takes look
at competitiveness decline

THE NORTH American
automotive industry’s com-
petitiveness has declined
significantly over the last
two decades. The industry’s
survival requires industry
and government to create a
‘‘new era of teamwork’’
and address the problem
with a sense of urgency.

.If competitiveness continues to
decline, the industry could lose
another 100,000 jobs over the next
five years,

That was a major finding of a
study released today by the
U.S.-Canada Automotive Select
Panel, a group of government,
industry and academic experts.
The study was commissioned as
part of the U.S.-Canada_ Free
Trade agreement in 1988.

The market share of the tradi-
tional North American automotive
manufacturers has declined
dramatically — down from 83%
of car sales in 1978 to 56% in
. 4991, The North American

_ automotive industry is unique in
“its size and importance to the
economy, and the decline in its
competitiveness has resulted in the
loss of higher-paying and higher
value-added jobs.

-“In the panel’s opinion,
nothing short of bold and decisive
action is required to restore the

. Viability and health of the industry
and to preserve the significant
contribution made by.the industry

to North American econemic pro- ~

. sperity,’? said. W. Darcy
-McKeough, co-chairman of the
‘Automotive . Select. Panel
‘director of the Canadian Devel-
opment Investment Corp.

The panel’s report calls. for in-
dustry and government to under-
take a comprehensive action pro-
gram strategically focused on

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enhancing the industry’s com-
petitiveness. The report calls on
government to:
@ Recognize explicitly at all levels
of government the strategic im-
portance of the automotive in-
dustry to the rest of the economy;
@ Refocus the trade relationship
between the United States and
other countries, especially Japan,
to make the relationship free and
fair;
@ Develop a new mechanism
within government to provide ad-
vice. on actions and priorities to
enhance industry competitiveness;
ani
@ Initiate actions to promote in-
vestment and technology devel-
opmen: in the automotive sector.
One of the first steps the panel
recommends is to address the ©
trade imbalance between the. Unit-
ed States and Japan. Govern-
ment-to-government negotiations
must agree on a plan to reduce
rapidly the existing $42 billion
trade deficit, of which more than
75% is automotive related.
+ These negotiations should focus
on specific actions the Japanese
can take dpring the next 12 to 18
months, including:
@ Eliminating the remaining
formal and informa! barriers to

Alfa Romeo

THE VANCOUVER Alfa
Romeo Club is inviting the
public to its italian Car and

' Motorcycle Display being held
at North Vancouver’s Water-
front Park on Sunday, July 5
from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The event, which will run
weather permitting, is non-
competitive and the public is
invited to enter their own
Italian machines. Presenters are
asked to bring a drip tray.

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North American vehicle access to
the Japanese market.

@ Rapidly increasing the level of
business with proven North Amer-
ican suppliers.

@ At the purchasing and
engineering levels of Japanese
auto makers, increase the desire to
purchase components and
engineering services from tradi-
tional North American suppliers.

@ Opening up the replacement
market channels for auto parts on
Japanese vehicles.

, The panel recommends conduc-
ting a joint U.S.-Canada govern-
ment study to assess and evaluate
fully whether the Japanese have
been using their domestic market
as a ‘“‘sanctuary’’ or protected
miarket to subsidize sales and pro-
duction outside Japan.

. The report recognizes that,
while the industry has made good
progress in reducing the com-
petitiveness gap, extremely serious
challenges remain. Accordingly,
the report calls on the industry
and its Participants to take
specific actions:

@ Identify and deploy world-class
practices.

@ Continue efforts to improve
labor-management * relationships
and employee involvement.

Club meets

~ No registration is necessary
and there are no entry fees.

Organizers say this is a fami-
ly event and are encouraging
people to bring a picnic lunch
and enjoy the display al a
leisurely pace. ’

Entertainment will be pro-
vided by the Galiano Trio from
1 to 3 p.m.

People who are interested in
attending the dispiay are asked
to call 988-7904.

DEALERS
WELCOME

PASSENGER, LIGHT TRUCK, HEAVY
TRUCK INDUSTRIAL,EARTH MOVER,
RETREADING, 24 HOUR EMERGENCY
COMMERCIAL SERVICE

In our continuing effort to improve
our CUSTOMER SATISFACTION,
we would like you to
Join us in a FREE workshop on
General Auto Maintenance. We will
have on hand our resident expert,
Moren Cary, who will demonstrate
such procedures as tire changing,
general trouble-shooting and
recognizing the tell-tale signs of

potential vehicle problems.

DATE: Wednesday, July 3, 1992

TIME: 7:00-8:30 P.M.

PLACE: JIM PATTISON TOYOTA J
1765 MARINE DRIVE 9
NORTH VANCOUVER

Limited seating.
Call first to regisier.

‘TENDED B HOURS: OF SERVICE ‘RECEPTION:
Mon. a Thurs.. & Satz 7: i- 2004