The Calgary Herald has a good read on its front page this morning, reporting that some Canadian car makers have ordered U.S. dealers not to sell to Canadians. And now — get this — Bombardier is doing the same thing. U.S. dealers who sell a ski-doo to Canadians will have to pay a $3,000 'surcharge' to Bombardier.
Consumers’ Association of Canada president Bruce Cran, noted the irony of Bombardier refusing sales to Canadians.
“Do they think we are a bunch of dupes that we are putting up with this stuff?” said Cran.
“Bombardier has been subsidized by Canadian taxpayers over great many decades and now they will sell to Americans — and only Americans — for 40 per cent less? That’s the reward we get?”
It's hard not to sympathize with Cran's sentiment, though, for the record, it's not quite accurate. Bombardier Recreational Products was actually spun off a few years ago from Bombardier, the publicly traded plane and train maker, and is now privately owned by the Bombardier family. So technically the taxpayer never subsidized the ski-doo business but certainly subsidized the plane business of the same family that owns the ski-doo business. Cran doesn't care, though: He's issued a public call for an apology from BRP CEO Jose Boisjoli: “Apologize Mr Boisjoli and take whatever action is needed to put things right for your loyal Canadian customers.”
I wonder why there is no lawsuit yet. There is licencing rules for a movie or even a prescription drug. When the same product sold on both side of the border, is it even legal to set this kind of conduction? Also I don't see much success with prescription drug to the US where it is highly conduction industry.