Bill C-244 was a topic of discussion when a federal member of Canadian parliament visited Fix Network’s Regional Training Centre in Milton last week. Adam van Koeverden’s visit allowed an opportunity for him to speak with Fix Network president and CEO Steve Leal and Ontario regional vice president Daryll O’Keefe about the bill, which was introduced in February.
The bill’s intent is to amend the Copyright Act “in order to allow the circumvention of a technological protection measure in a computer program if the circumvention is solely for the purpose of the diagnosis, maintenance and repair of a product,” according to a company statement.
“Fix Network has always advocated a strong and coherent approach to the Right to Repair issues that involves engaging all parties connected with the automotive aftermarket sector,” O’Keefe says in the statement. “As vehicles become increasingly sophisticated, we need to start preparing Canadian technicians for the future by educating and training them in the latest repair technologies.”
Van Koeverden supports the bill, according to the company statement, which would ensure OEM-approved tools and parts are available to the automotive aftermarket. All shops would then have access to necessary parts and tools, and consumers could choose what shops handled repairs on their vehicles.
