Automotive News Canada - April 2020 - v2 - 10

OPINION

04.20

COVID-19: This
is not 'fake news'
JEFF MELNYCHUK

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

IT HAS NEVER BEEN JOURNALISM'S FUNCTION TO GUESS WHAT
the future might hold; to guess the news.
Some cable "news" shows regularly pick a topic, then a what-if
scenario and then tap supposed experts to debate how to hypothetically deal with the hypothetical situation. Debates not based in fact
only serve to create drama to gain and hold viewer attention.
Such shows gain credibility because they're camouflaged as journalism - when they're a form entertainment - but unfortunately all
media is painted with the same broad brush of sensationalism.
Actual journalism is about providing facts, as in what has happened rather than what might happen. Yes, we
would all love the power to predict the future,
Our goal is to
but guessing? No, that's not the role of journalinform about the ists.
There is room in journalism for analysis of
crisis as events
the facts, as in what do they mean? For examunfold, and not
ple, the main story on Page 3 attempts a neardistract or create term look at falling vehicle sales and the factors
and obstacles that affect the reopening of dealdrama with
What will the retail model be in six
what-if scenarios. erships.
months or a year? We don't know. No one
does. There are changes being made now that
will likely end up as part of the new norm, but anything beyond that
is speculative, unproductive and distracting from the now.
When the COVID-19 crisis hit home
- government closures of nonessential services crystallized the situation
and set off a cascading chain of
events - our coverage focused on
providing as much instant news online
as we had capacity to push. The
"Coronavirus" tag on each story at
www.automotivenews.ca will take
you to a list of all coronavirus stories,
of which there are now dozens.
The focus was and continues to be
As was the case
getting relevant COVID-19-related news with our readers,
and information to readers as quickly as Automotive News
Canada adapted to
possible. But we can only deal with
what we know, and right now that's day the COVID-19 crisis
practically overnight.
to day.
For businesses, thinking near term
- what the priorities are for today - has meant addressing options
for cash flow, liquidity and care for staff, and working to stay in touch
with customers and answer their questions about service and lease
returns. There's more, of course. Pages 14 and 15 - cross-Canada
best practices - highlight innovative ways dealers are adapting and
in many cases taking control of the COVID-19 crisis.
They become part of the industry picture that we strive to paint,
in addition to providing daily news, such as changing details of government support and the laws that affect how the auto industry is
run. Automotive News Canada issues breaking-news alerts and daily
recaps of what happened since the last daily recap. Keeping up to
date is as simple as signing up at our website.
Let's face facts: The landscape of this crisis is changing daily. Our
goal is to provide news at a matching pace. Facts and not guesswork are what's needed to run businesses. - ANC

EST. 1925

PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY CRAIN COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
KEITH E. CRAIN, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
KC CRAIN, GROUP PUBLISHER
JASON STEIN, PUBLISHER

DAVE VERSICAL, CHIEF OF EDITORIAL OPERATIONS, AUTOMOTIVE NEWS GROUP

PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY CRAIN COMMUNICATIONS, INC.

NEWS DEPARTMENT

JEFF MELNYCHUK, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, 506.854.5024, JMelnychuk@autonews.com
GRACE MACALUSO, MANAGING EDITOR, 226.787.0441, gmacaluso@crain.com

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When 'best practice' means
shutting down the dealership
ON THE DAY SHE HAD EXPECTED TO CELEBRATE
Digenis said in an interview. Despite implementing
the one-year anniversary of opening her Mitsubishi
strict hygiene and physical-distancing measures in
store, Dealer Principal Tammy Roach was, instead,
his stores, there were lapses everywhere he went,
standing in front of a video camwhether the pharmacy, the groera fighting back tears.
cery store, his neighbourhood and
"It's an ironic day here as we
even inside the dealerships.
MANAGING EDITOR
are closing as of March 20...one
"We literally put what looks like
year ago, we drove our first car
crime scene tape on the floor to
GRACE
into our showroom," Roach said
separate customers from our
MACALUSO
in a video posted on
associates, and I routinely saw
Charlottetown Mitsubishi's
people walking right up to the
Facebook page. "We are closing
counter," he said. "So, I can disinCOMMENT
fect the pens, the debit stations,
our doors to keep our staff and
do all of that ... yet I thought,
our islanders safe."
'Despite our best efforts I don't think people get it.'"
More than 1,700 kilometres away, Alex Digenis,
Roach, who hoped to reopen her store's service
dealer principal of two rooftops and a used-vehicle
department April 15, said closing the dealership
store in Ontario's Niagara region, would soon deliver a similar sombre message.
was akin to performing one's duty in a time of war.
His three businesses would
"For now, I just want everyone to stay home, stay
close temporarily effective
safe."
March 25, a decision designed
Added Digenis, "If we don't do our part to give
to keep staff and community
our frontline healthcare workers a chance to get
safe during the COVID-19 panthrough this, my condemic, he said in a video posted cern is we're not going
For some dealers,
on social media.
to have anyone to look
closing their doors
Both dealers would be forced after us."
to lay off staff, 10 at
The sacrifice will be
Digenis:
is akin to performing
Charlottetown Mitsubishi and 90 a costly one. Digenis
Expects to
their civic duty.
lose about
at Digenis's three outlets,
estimated that the clo$500,000 in
Henley Honda, Subaru of
sures will cost his businet revenue;
Niagara and Skyway Fine Cars.
ness about $500,000 in net revenue over April and
closing his
And both stand by their deci- May, two of the industry's busiest months. "I'm not
dealerships
sion to close temporarily even
a doctor but I genuinely believe [the shutdown] is
was done for
though dealerships were among
going to be 30 days and it might creep into 60."
the health of
the businesses deemed essenReaction from his staff was overwhelmingly posihis staff.
tial under their respective protive, he said, "But I definitely felt there was a sigh
PHOTO VIA ALEX
vincial emergency orders.
of almost relief, and I received very heartfelt mesDIGENIS
"I was responsible for the
sages of support from the team."
health of my team and anybody visiting the dealerRoach vowed to each employee "their job would
ship and ultimately we couldn't do that to the right
be waiting for them once we were back in
standard; I wasn't willing to expose the team,"
business." - ANC

In times of crisis, leaders emerge
EVERY BRANCH OF THE
military needs a general. In the
fight against COVID-19, Flavio
Volpe is the auto industry's Sir
Winston Churchill.
When this war ends - and
we win - the head of the
Automotive Parts Manufacturers'
Association should receive the
Order of Canada for the outstanding determination he has
shown.
From the outset, Volpe realized we were in for the fight of
our lives against the novel coronavirus that has been sweeping
the globe, killing thousands of
people and paralyzing economies.
He was the
first person I
heard utter the
words "war footing" when talking
about the need
Flavio
to vanquish the
Volpe took
virus.
the lead to
On March 16,
mobilize
Volpe called on
the
Canada's parts
auto-parts
industry to
industry
change gears
to make
and begin makmedical
ing medical
supplies.
equipment. He
FILE PHOTO
did so with cautious optimism, saying Canadian
parts makers might not ultimately be the source for much-needed medical items such has ven-

DIGITAL AND
MOBILE EDITOR
AUTOMOTIVE
NEWS CANADA

GREG
LAYSON

COMMENT
tilators, face masks and face
shields.
"But we're going to make
damn well sure we're going to
answer that question practically
and not hypothetically."
On April 13, he told me 74
companies were either in the
final design stages with medical
tech companies, manufacturing
or getting certification from
Health Canada to manufacture
medical equipment and parts.
Volpe also issued the million-mask challenge, calling on
suppliers and automakers to
donate the highly sought-after
N95 masks needed by doctors
and nurses.
Just as he championed
Canada's efforts during the renegotiation of the North American
Free Trade Agreement, Volpe
has become the industry's government liaison in the national
arsenal-of-health campaign.
And, he won't tolerate skeptics.
"I'm aware that it's not easy

for auto suppliers to switch to
ventilators. I don't need to be
told while we try to do it. Step
up or step out of the way. We'll
take it from here," Volpe said in
a Twitter response to a CBC
story that noted the challenges
faced by the industry.
A month later, on Good
Friday, he did eight consecutive
interviews on CBC Radio stations
across the country, starting at
5:45 a.m. in Toronto.
"I'd rather not be in this situation," Volpe tweeted. "I would
rather sleep in today & wake up
to cook some bacon & eggs for
my kids. But we are here & I will
not back down or back off."
He says he has had trouble
sleeping lately. On Easter
Sunday, he was reading the
specs of a
medical device
Flavio Volpe
sent from a
supplier.
should receive
As much as
Volpe inspires, the Order of
he is inspired
Canada for
by those who
answering
have answered
the call.
the call.
"Honestly,
the greatest single thing I've ever
been part of," he tweeted in
early April. "The most amazing
part of this journey is my inbox.
People are pouring their hearts
out to me. I promise that your
hope is not misplaced." - ANC

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Automotive News Canada - April 2020 - v2

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