Here’s what’s supposed to happen. A manufacturer makes a lovely widget. This widget, however lovely, requires [Canadian Standards Ass’n] certification to be legally sold or installed. The manufacturer must pay money to CSA, at whatever rate the CSA wishes, for CSA to not only test the widget, but also to inspect the facility in which the widget was fabricated. This latter part is called a field inspection.
So, two things to note; First, these manufacturers are a captive market for CSA, they are obligated to have CSA certification or they’re out of business, and; Second, the CSA makes the standards governing the widget and the inspection, so the CSA decides the service levels that they’re obligated to provide as well as the prices they’ll charge, while manufacturers have no choice in either matter.
Here’s what happens in practice….
The behaviour of the CSA is typical of the eventual behaviour of monopolistic-type organizations.
They literally lose control of themselves and start acting like spoiled-rotten 5-year olds, stomping and destroying everything in their paths to get what they want without any regard for the consequences to others.
Dealing with a 5-year old is easy. Dealing with a large, monopolistic-type organization is akin to “who’s going to arrest the sheriff”. In this case, we have to hope that our government representatives – MPs, MLAs – are “on our side”.
This is a typical third world style shakedown.
Drive by “Awning calls” are a termination offence in sales forces.
The same standard should be applied to CSA.
Man if I were a Trudeau brain in his court of fart sniffers I’d teach the shiny pony how to beat the bejeezus out of Prime Minister Steve with this every day all day.
I can’t believe that the lame stream media, ESPECIALLY the CBC, has not looked into this story. Obviously too busy exploring the really important news like whether politicians approve gay-straight alliances in schools.
Exactly and it is basically state approved organised crime from the description.
Exactly and it is basically state approved organised crime from the description.
Can’t understand why the Tories don’t get ahead of this, crush the CSA like a bug, and be seen to be trying to remedy the situation BEFORE it becomes an open pre-election scandal …UNLESS the Tories are benefitting financially from it. I don’t want to think that, but nothing else explains their complete unwillingness to do ANYTHING WHATSOEVER about it. So, here’s hoping Restore CSA unleashes their dogs and lets the fit hit the shan as soon as possible.
Allow foreign competition. That’ll wake them up.
“I’d teach the shiny pony how to beat the bejeezus out of Prime Minister Steve with this every day all day.” …. and Davers6
Exactly. But it’s not happening.
We get bullshit letters from the Minister responsible saying he ain’t responsible, and neither Commie Tom or turdo la doo is raising hell.
So I don’t know if it’s a union thing, or a money thing, or a “we’re all filthy” thing, but there’s a stench over all the House on this issue and our ever-diligent press is oh-so predictably missing it because they’re out sniffing their favourite farts.
You can say that again.
My guess is if the Conservatives get involved they will be painted by the media as reckless and anti-safety just as they are pegged as being anti-human rights when trying to fix our human rights commission.
Show me the bodies
Restore CSA has been making allegations like these for a long time but if half of what they say is half true there should be a lot of stuff out there in daily use that has had no safety inspection at all. If so, either the CSA apparatus is wholly unnecessary or everybody has been ridiculously lucky because there should be lots of injuries and some deaths from defective gear by now.
But the CSA bureaucrats are all Liberals, as are all welfare state employees here in Canada. The bureaucracy was a Liberal creation, so they just love Justin and Justin won’t call them up for their corruption; that is the Liberal way – use the state for their own benefit.
The safety shakedown is just a scam. Most products do not need to be regulated or approved. The failure of a vacuum cleaner is rarely fatal.
To add detail, I know as I used to work for the British Standards Institute. Most of what we tested was not life threatening. Some manufacturers like to add BSIxxxx standard approved as a marketing gimmick; others were unnecessarily obliged by law to have it for their product.
Im still trying to figure out why CSA is headquartered i Cleveland. As citizens paying for this we should be beating all political parties over the head with this
” If so, either the CSA apparatus is wholly unnecessary or everybody has been ridiculously lucky because there should be lots of injuries and some deaths from defective gear by now.”
I think you chalk a lot of it up to the manufacturers. These guys have a vested interest, with or with out the CSA. Do you know how long they would last if they didn’t put out safe products and people where getting hurt/killed by them?
Paul,
The CSA certification does not “make” a well made product. The manufacturers Design, Test, and Re-design their products themselves. Good products are good products despite any certification or lack of certification. The CSA and UL listings do not add anything to a well-made product. It is more like a stamp of approval or a good review on Amazon. The manufacturer has a brand and reputation that is worth a lot of to the company. They are more interested in providing good products than it appears CSA is.
That said, a lot of fire protection/fire fighting products are CSA certified and many insurers and/or government agencies require that companies that use fire products that have a CSA or UL Listing. Example, the controls, pressure switches, alarms, etc., used on a sprinkler system in the facility I work must have CSA or UL certs, otherwise our insurance company may not cover any losses or may even drop our insurance.
I am sort of surprised that insurers are not taking notice and asking questions?
Totally unnecessary … Yes.
Try reading the Canadian Electrical Code.. Forced sale of unnecessary junk by regulation, of course every new home needs extra breaker space for the electric car, child proof plugs that are guaranteed to kill any clever children…
There is no function for the CSA, first the US market is the holy grail to canadian manufacturers and second no manufacturer wants to be known as the killer of their customer.
The extortion racket that CSA has become , did not happen overnight, a unnecessary bureaucracy blessed with unchallengable power.and all in the name of the holy religion;Safety,. gradually got away with larger and more blatant abuse of their captive “client”.
Do not steal, your government hates competition.
That James Moore is still dodging and weaving means he is a “progressive” another believer in big Government Help.
Is there any way to get Harper on the record on this fiasco?
There must be a conservative left in this government who understands just how toxic this kind of kleptocracy is.
Once the minions at CSA get through ripping off and enraging enough taxpaying citizens, the country will become ungovernable.
I have had to deal with the dropping of CSA for 25 years now, the Electrical Code has ballooned from a paperback 9x6x1 inch into a binder 11x9x3.. we are no safer.
In my opinion fewer electricians now understand the principles of safely applying the trade.
And none of the current inspectors of my region have the basic expertise and experience to carry out their duties.. but no one in government cares.
As the progressives say; “Forward”.
it has become obvious that the CSA is not needed and should be closed.