Registrar's Report - March 2, 1998 - Issue #5

Dear Registrant:

The OMVIC Board of Directors has spent an extraordinarily busy first year - particularly through the work of its several committees. These committees include Appeals, Communications & Advertising, Education, Finance & Audit, Legislative Review, and Ethics & Discipline. Today's Registrar's Report focuses on our Ethics & Discipline Committee and its most important accomplishment to date: development of the attached Code of Ethics.

The development of a Code of Ethics is an extremely important public step that establishes the industry's sincere commitment to building dealer professionalism and consumer protection. But it's also just the beginning: Our Code of Ethics forms a part of a larger process. Subsequently you will receive a copy of the Standards of Practice which provide clear examples of how each section of the code is meant to be applied in your day to day business.

And finally, without a means of enforcing compliance, neither the Code nor the Standards of Practice would have little real effect. Accordingly, the Ethics & Discipline Committee is also developing rules, procedures and a structure for a disciplinary process.

The principle component of the whole process however is the OMVIC Code of Ethics. Eventually, this document will be included in all new dealer/ salesperson application kits, and will be an important component in the new registrant certification program (being developed by our Education Committee.) The Code will be produced in a version that will be suitable for posting in your dealership to demonstrate your public commitment to the Code. The three OMVIC Board members who make up the committee are Gerry Barg of Barg Automotive (Chair), Harold Cunningham of Cunningham Motors and Whipple Steinkrauss, Assistant Deputy Minister (retired), Business Practices Division of the Ministry of Consumer & Commercial Relations.

According to Gerry Barg: "Our code of ethics is proof that we're committed to dealer professionalism and consumer protection. The code sets out principles for business conduct of the highest standard - as high as you'll find anywhere.

"These standards will govern the way we conduct business - not only with consumers but also with each other."

An important component of the code which supports OMVIC's war on curbsiding is a prohibition from doing business with those whom the dealer knows are operating outside the law. Dealers who knowingly sell vehicles to curbsiders will answer to an OMVIC Discipline Committee. More on the proposed activities of the Discipline Committee will follow.

As usual, if you have any questions or concerns, I'd like to hear from you.

Sincerely yours,

Carl Compton,
Registrar,
Motor Vehicle Dealers Act