Car Biz Insider feat Jean-Marc Leclerc Ep#10

00:00:26 Jon Toker

Hi everybody, this is Jon Toker, your host from Carbiz insider.

00:00:30 Jon Toker

We’re having our tenth episode today, Presidents Edition.

00:00:34 Jon Toker

I have a very special guest here with me today.

00:00:36 Jon Toker

Jean- Marc from Honda Canada.

00:00:39 Jon Toker

Jean Marc how are you?

00:00:40 Jean Marc Leclerc

Well, how are you?

00:00:41 Jon Toker

John, good, thank you very much joining in your very busy schedule here.

00:00:46 Jon Toker

I’m honored to have you on the show.

00:00:48 Jon Toker

I I know we had some a little bit delay in the starting because of the security stuff, so why don’t I?

00:00:57 Jon Toker

Why don’t you talk about yourself and introduce yourself to our viewers and listeners?

00:01:03 Jean Marc Leclerc

Yeah, thanks Sean yeah Sean Mark declare President, CEO of Honda Canada. I’ve been with the company in my 27th year but I’ve been in the industry for 37.

00:01:14 Jean Marc Leclerc

I work for another manufacturer out of university.

00:01:18 Jean Marc Leclerc

I went to the University of Ottawa.

00:01:20 Jean Marc Leclerc

And you know, I have a, uh?

00:01:23 Jean Marc Leclerc

Wonderful family, I’ve got a lovely wife and and two.

00:01:26 Jean Marc Leclerc

Grown up kids.

00:01:27 Jean Marc Leclerc

Uh, who are away from home as an empty nester?

00:01:31 Jean Marc Leclerc

I’m excited about that, John.

00:01:33 Jean Marc Leclerc

But it’s really, really blessed with with having a great family and.

00:01:38 Jean Marc Leclerc

I love being in the industry.

00:01:40 Jean Marc Leclerc

It’s a really dynamic industry, especially now that a lot of things are moving and shaking and it’s exciting to be part of it.

00:01:49 Jon Toker

Well that’s that’s amazing, Jean Marc.

00:01:51 Jon Toker

So why don’t we talk about the becoming a president in one of the most difficult and challenging times in the history of the car business?

00:01:59 Jon Toker

We want to talk about that.

00:02:01 Jean Marc Leclerc

Well, absolutely listen becoming a president and in you know, and I guess.

00:02:06 Jean Marc Leclerc

Turbulent times I.

00:02:08 Jean Marc Leclerc

I don’t know any better because I started when the pandemic started taken over for Dave Gardner and and again I you know, a lot of people feel that OK.

00:02:22 Jean Marc Leclerc

It must be really, you know, not only challenging, but stressful, but you know, Frank.

00:02:27 Jean Marc Leclerc

Clearly the team here at Honda Canada in terms of the quality of the individuals that really that I that I lean on to, you know in terms of the operations they get the job done.

00:02:39 Jean Marc Leclerc

I mean, they’ve been wonderful and it’s it’s yes it’s been challenging, but I think you know my transition to this role has been as smooth as.

00:02:48 Jean Marc Leclerc

As can be because of those individuals and.

00:02:51 Jean Marc Leclerc

You know this familiarity. There have been around for 27 years knowing the individual them knowing me. That certainly helps. I.

00:03:00 Jean Marc Leclerc

I think it would have been more complicated if somebody would have been parachuted in with no knowledge.

00:03:04 Jean Marc Leclerc

Of the market.

00:03:06 Jean Marc Leclerc

And no knowledge of the people in the company, but it certainly wasn’t that way for me.

00:03:10 Jean Marc Leclerc

So it was the best transition that I could.

00:03:13 Jean Marc Leclerc

Have hoped for.

00:03:14 Jean Marc Leclerc

But certainly I would have wished for better times if you will.

00:03:16 Jean Marc Leclerc

But at the.

00:03:17 Jean Marc Leclerc

Same you know by the same time you know when you look at the job of a president and and and.

00:03:25 Jean Marc Leclerc

State of operations.

00:03:28 Jean Marc Leclerc

It concerned me a little bit because you know, I’m used to be hands on from an operation standpoint.

00:03:35 Jean Marc Leclerc

I’ve been in in many different areas of the company, including Honda Financial Services.

00:03:40 Jean Marc Leclerc

I’ve led the motorcycle power equipment division so, so I’m a hands on person.

00:03:45 Jean Marc Leclerc

And I was really concerned about.

00:03:47 Jean Marc Leclerc

You know making sure that there was, you know, I could let people do their job without too much sort of interference from myself, because I always want to get involved.

00:03:57 Jean Marc Leclerc

When you go through a, you know a difficult period like we went through it.

00:04:03 Jean Marc Leclerc

It requires your leadership to be more hands on.

00:04:06 Jean Marc Leclerc

So to me, that’s the another reason why that transition was easier for me and and I think we’re really pleased with with number one.

00:04:16 Jean Marc Leclerc

The way that our associates have engaged to supporting the company supporting our customers very early.

00:04:21 Jean Marc Leclerc

On and again adapted to all the things that we needed to do to adjust our business to the changes in the industry.

00:04:29 Jean Marc Leclerc

So you know very pleased.

00:04:33 Jean Marc Leclerc

Very happy with how things have gone for my first two years in this position.

00:04:38 Jon Toker

That’s, uh, that’s good to hear very positive.

00:04:41 Jon Toker

Well, I always thought you know I I remember the day it was announced that you were becoming the President, and I’m like that’s a tough time for, you know, because you’ve been with a Honda for so long.

00:04:51 Jon Toker

And anytime I used to do dealer visits and your name used to come up and a lot of dealers know you because you were in the field.

00:04:58 Jon Toker

I remember back in the days and you had a really good relationship with your dealers too.

00:05:02 Jon Toker

So everybody is noisy.

00:05:04 Jon Toker

As you said, you’re not parachuted into the business.

00:05:07 Jon Toker

You know you work in the even in the field and most Honda presidents anyways.

00:05:11 Jon Toker

I remember even Dave Gardner was was on the field too.

00:05:14 Jon Toker

And you know doing dealer visits and stuff, so that’s good.

00:05:18 Jon Toker

Good to hear.

00:05:18 Jon Toker

But when I when I heard the announcement and it was during the.

00:05:21 Jon Toker

The during that pandemic I actually felt bad on talking to another associate.

00:05:26 Jon Toker

I’m like poor guy.

00:05:27 Jon Toker

You know it felt really bad but.

00:05:31 Jon Toker

I believe your leadership was amazing and I I was in it and.

00:05:36 Jon Toker

The decisions made were pretty, you know, they were pragmatic, but you guys were still retaining as much as you know associates and repurposed them was very nice.

00:05:45 Jon Toker

And yeah, very, very good times I believe.

00:05:47 Jean Marc Leclerc

Yeah, yeah, I think so.

00:05:50 Jean Marc Leclerc

And and again I.

00:05:51 Jean Marc Leclerc

Yeah, the the you know the.

00:05:53 Jean Marc Leclerc

This whole transition, you know, and I forgot to mention the dealers.

00:05:57 Jean Marc Leclerc

Obviously the dealers.

00:05:58 Jean Marc Leclerc

Uh, you know through it all, we’re very understandable.

00:06:01 Jean Marc Leclerc

We tried to again adapt our communication as best we could to dealers.

00:06:06 Jean Marc Leclerc

And also you know to to our associates because the the the you know working from home, the whole adaptation, the technology adaptation.

00:06:18 Jean Marc Leclerc

To communicate with something that everybody needed to to get used to.

00:06:23 Jean Marc Leclerc

So we found different ways to keep people engaged.

00:06:26 Jean Marc Leclerc

As you know, internally we’ve had, you know, the my BI weekly communications that was weekly at first to let Associates know what’s going on.

00:06:33 Jean Marc Leclerc

And I think that was very important in the time when everybody is working from home and OK.

00:06:37 Jean Marc Leclerc

What’s really going on?

00:06:39 Jean Marc Leclerc

So having again the the President or a leader, tell them you know step by step what’s happening and what we’re doing.

00:06:46 Jean Marc Leclerc

To sort of.

00:06:46 Jean Marc Leclerc

Navigate through through some of the difficult.

00:06:48 Jean Marc Leclerc

Teas and we try to do the same with dealers also and dealers are used to obviously face to face.

00:06:54 Jean Marc Leclerc

I mean, there’s nothing really to substitute an in person in person interaction.

00:06:59 Jean Marc Leclerc

We try to do our best virtually and and I think we’ve done really well.

00:07:03 Jean Marc Leclerc

But I think we’re all looking forward to getting back to those those in person meetings that I think.

00:07:09 Jean Marc Leclerc

Our are extremely valuable that I personally miss, and especially at a time when again this the industry going through the transition that it’s going through.

00:07:20 Jean Marc Leclerc

You know it’s even more important that you know we have those in person discussions.

00:07:26 Jon Toker

Yeah, completely agree nothing can substitute the real human.

00:07:30 Jon Toker

Uh, you know the interaction being as it’s a lot more personal level and people feel a lot comfortable talking to you can have one on ones with the dealer principals you could do still do that, but it’s not as personal you can.

00:07:42 Jon Toker

I use I used to get a lot more done taking my dealers off for lunch for example.

00:07:46 Jean Marc Leclerc

Of course.

00:07:46 Jon Toker

And have a have a like a less pressured conversation there with the dealers and you know I could achieve a lot more than that and talking them in front of their staff but.

00:07:55 Jean Marc Leclerc

Yeah, more anything that’s formal drawn it’s it’s again you.

00:07:59 Jean Marc Leclerc

You’re kind of limited, you know in the virtual setting your meetings for half an hour or.

00:08:03 Jean Marc Leclerc

Hour and it it it.

00:08:05 Jean Marc Leclerc

It prevents you from kind of going to places that you know in person.

00:08:08 Jean Marc Leclerc

You would go naturally yourself over lunch over a coffee and having work you know those what I call critical conversations about.

00:08:15 Jean Marc Leclerc

You know important topics.

00:08:18 Jon Toker

Yeah, and and even that you guys were holding the virtual coffee with the executive team too with the associates.

00:08:24 Jon Toker

That was a really good stuff.

00:08:26 Jon Toker

I always try to book one, but.

00:08:27 Jon Toker

Yeah, I mean it was always full soft.

00:08:29 Jean Marc Leclerc

It’s always full.

00:08:31 Jean Marc Leclerc

Yeah, you know the yeah, the the the the coffee chats were important.

00:08:34 Jean Marc Leclerc

Obviously we we tried to communicate like business plans and our approach like through videos and and then follow those up with you know I, I think we we limited the five associates to try to optimize the discussion.

00:08:46 Jean Marc Leclerc

If you will right or to encourage disk.

00:08:49 Jean Marc Leclerc

Because the larger these groups get, whether in person or virtually the less chance of you know, people being engaged and asking questions and so on.

00:08:57 Jean Marc Leclerc

So that’s the reason why we did.

00:08:58 Jean Marc Leclerc

It that way, but.

00:08:59 Jean Marc Leclerc

Yeah yeah, we tried to put in there as many you know as many sessions as possible with well with myself. But also there were other executives on our COC team.

00:09:09 Jean Marc Leclerc

But we’re also open to those discussions, but again, it was all to, you know, reassure associates, allow them to ask the questions they wanted, and and hopefully again create the sense of engagement in in in the business.

00:09:24 Jon Toker

Wow, that’s really nice.

00:09:25 Jon Toker

Before it jump into the questions I prepare for you.

00:09:28 Jon Toker

I’m sure a lot of dealers would like to know about those questions too.

00:09:28 Jean Marc Leclerc

Not far.

00:09:33 Jon Toker

I I I heard that back in the days that your involvement involvement with University of Ottawa.

00:09:40 Jon Toker

Yeah, and would you like to talk about that a little bit like what kind of capacity?

00:09:44 Jon Toker

What did you do for?

00:09:45 Jon Toker

Them and you from Ottawa, right?

00:09:46 Jon Toker

Or Yep in.

00:09:47 Jean Marc Leclerc

Ottawa boy born and raised.

00:09:48 Jean Marc Leclerc

I went to school there went to University of Ottawa and yeah it was really you know my alma mater and and.

00:09:56 Jean Marc Leclerc

They found me after many, many years.

00:09:59 Jean Marc Leclerc

You know the Business School is now Telfar Business School in Ottawa and and I think they reached out to me and and looking for obviously support as universities do from business and and.

00:10:11 Jean Marc Leclerc

And you know that kind of led.

00:10:12 Jean Marc Leclerc

To OK how how?

00:10:14 Jean Marc Leclerc

Can I support my alma mater?

00:10:15 Jean Marc Leclerc

I mean, I’m all about.

00:10:16 Jean Marc Leclerc

Giving back to, you know, giving back to the community.

00:10:19 Jean Marc Leclerc

Giving back to academia, the best I can with my experience.

00:10:22 Jean Marc Leclerc

So you know, at first it was about mentoring graduate students you know and and.

00:10:29 Jean Marc Leclerc

And sort of working with them.

00:10:31 Jean Marc Leclerc

It was supposed to be self directed if you will from the students to be.

00:10:34 Jean Marc Leclerc

And I I found myself to be doing more of the reaching.

00:10:37 Jean Marc Leclerc

Out to them.

00:10:37 Jean Marc Leclerc

To to support them and and but it it it really worked out so so I did that for for three years.

00:10:45 Jean Marc Leclerc

I think 4 so so that was sort of the beginning of.

00:10:49 Jean Marc Leclerc

You know that relationship?

00:10:50 Jean Marc Leclerc

And I got to speak to a couple of the you know marketing classes about.

00:10:55 Jean Marc Leclerc

Again, my experience about Honda and that led to also hosting students that came to the GT.

00:11:03 Jean Marc Leclerc

OK, to talk to businesses looking for employment.

00:11:08 Jean Marc Leclerc

Looking for maybe ideas on where to take their careers so we hosted them at Honda and talked about Honda and you know it’s it’s interesting, you know.

00:11:17 Jean Marc Leclerc

People in university and and their views that were hard at, you know, selling cars, but it’s obviously much more than that.

00:11:24 Jean Marc Leclerc

It’s manufacturing, it’s engineering, its business.

00:11:27 Jean Marc Leclerc

It’s it’s digital, you know all the things or all the categories that you cover in in universities.

00:11:32 Jean Marc Leclerc

There there’s a place at Honda that that that that needs you.

00:11:37 Jean Marc Leclerc

So really.

00:11:37 Jean Marc Leclerc

Was to bring that too.

00:11:39 Jean Marc Leclerc

Uh, you know to their attention through again.

00:11:42 Jean Marc Leclerc

These hosting them at at the campus so that that was really the extent of the relationship.

00:11:48 Jean Marc Leclerc

And again, always glad to get back to again students that you know are looking for guidance if you will, right?

00:11:56 Jean Marc Leclerc

’cause I I remember being in their shoes when I graduated and.

00:11:59 Jean Marc Leclerc

Frankly, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do.

00:12:02 Jean Marc Leclerc

I had a business degree in finance and marketing.

00:12:05 Jean Marc Leclerc

And and you know, kind of opening their eyes to the possibilities I think is very important, so that’s kind of my way of again giving back understanding where I was at that time and and some of the questions I had.

00:12:18 Jean Marc Leclerc

So we’re happy to do that and and happy that relationship.

00:12:22 Jean Marc Leclerc

You know, hopefully with that will continue in the future.

00:12:26 Jon Toker

That’s that’s very nice of you, John Mark.

00:12:28 Jon Toker

Uh, also last week I saw and I was very sick last week.

00:12:31 Jon Toker

But anyways, I seen the news.

00:12:33 Jon Toker

Uh, with the with the factory, the investment and and and your speech you started in French and switched back to English and I was like wow, that’s really cool, you know?

00:12:43

So Prime Minister.

00:12:45 Jon Toker

That was pretty cool so.

00:12:46 Jean Marc Leclerc

I think the Prime Minister didn’t expect when I started to talk in French, although my name is very French obviously.

00:12:52 Jean Marc Leclerc

But yeah, just.

00:12:54 Jean Marc Leclerc

I haven’t lost the haven’t lost the ability to communicate.

00:12:58 Jean Marc Leclerc

I don’t always have the the opportunity to practice it, but certainly, you know, I.

00:13:04 Jean Marc Leclerc

I work very hard at at maintaining again.

00:13:07 Jean Marc Leclerc

Good delivery of the language when the opportunity comes up.

00:13:11 Jon Toker

That’s great, so that’s relates to my question, actually.

00:13:14 Jon Toker

Actually, the the first question I prepare for you is the QQ hybrid.

00:13:20 Jon Toker

And this has been a question going on for a while.

00:13:23 Jon Toker

The the Americans get the CR V hybrid before us in the current body style and in the meetings it’s been announced that the new body style will have the CR V Hybrid, so.

00:13:35 Jon Toker

When will it be introduced and?

00:13:39 Jon Toker

Where will it be made?

00:13:41 Jon Toker

Would you be able to share some details about the CR V hybrid?

00:13:44 Jean Marc Leclerc

Yeah, absolutely well, you know.

00:13:45 Jean Marc Leclerc

As I said the you know in my remarks at the press conference it it’s the the Alliston autocannon.

00:13:51 Jean Marc Leclerc

Manufacturing is a lead plant for for CRB in North America.

00:13:55 Jean Marc Leclerc

Obviously it’s going to be built in other places, but you know the designation being a lead plant is is really an honor and really speaks to.

00:14:01 Jean Marc Leclerc

The you know the quality of the associates that work there to be.

00:14:05 Jean Marc Leclerc

Given that that privilege to work on such an important model.

00:14:07 Jean Marc Leclerc

For us, it is our best selling.

00:14:09 Jean Marc Leclerc

Model it outpaced the civic.

00:14:11 Jean Marc Leclerc

You know that once was again the the our top seller.

00:14:16 Jean Marc Leclerc

So a very important, very important model.

00:14:19 Jean Marc Leclerc

But yes, we’re we’re, you know again, things are very fluid.

00:14:22 Jean Marc Leclerc

As you can imagine, John with, with everything going on, supply chain and interruptions that that keep persisting, but the plan right now is to to build.

00:14:32 Jean Marc Leclerc

I would say late summer to be available sometime in the fall.

00:14:38 Jean Marc Leclerc

And so that’s kind of the schedule that’s on right now.

00:14:40 Jean Marc Leclerc

Again, barring any other you know, curveballs thrown at us.

00:14:45 Jean Marc Leclerc

’cause there have been many.

00:14:46 Jean Marc Leclerc

Over over the last I would say the last six months, in particular in terms of the intensity of those changes, but that’s that’s when we’re going to see the CRB high.

00:14:57 Jean Marc Leclerc

But it’s a new body.

00:14:58 Jean Marc Leclerc

Body style and see a new generation of CFE.

00:15:01 Jean Marc Leclerc

Uhm, you know.

00:15:03 Jean Marc Leclerc

I think it’s going to do extremely well.

00:15:05 Jean Marc Leclerc

It’s it’s really at the heart of where the market is right now and again built in Canada for Canadians is is something that we’re really, really excited.

00:15:14 Jean Marc Leclerc

Both and our dealers are very excited about because obviously the concern was when we didn’t bring the previous generation, we decided to wait for a.

00:15:21 Jean Marc Leclerc

Number of factors.

00:15:22 Jean Marc Leclerc

For the new generation, you know a concern dealers as demand for hybrid started to increase, especially in the last few years, and so we’re happy to bring it to market.

00:15:33 Jean Marc Leclerc

And you know, we’re really excited to see what it’s going to do for us and for for our dealers.

00:15:40 Jon Toker

Yeah, it’s going to be an interesting because it’s going to be a new body style and the hybrid and and it’s made in Canada by Canadians for Canadians, so which is pretty good stuff and hopefully you guys will be on like won’t won’t get any kind of stuff but not in your control and you’ll be able to have those cars in the showrooms.

00:16:00 Jon Toker

Hopefully in the fall and.

00:16:02 Jean Marc Leclerc

We’re all, we’re all hoping gone and and we’re again, hopefully everybody will cheer for things to stabilize a little bit to, to make sure that we stay lit.

00:16:14 Jon Toker

Yeah, yeah, that will be.

00:16:16 Jon Toker

That will be an amazing because I was talking to another dealership too and like we were talking about it.

00:16:21 Jon Toker

They asked my opinion on it.

00:16:23 Jon Toker

I’m like if they if if, if, if, if everything will work.

00:16:26 Jon Toker

I’m sure they will do their best to deliver that car in your showroom.

00:16:29 Jean Marc Leclerc

Absolutely, absolutely.

00:16:31 Jean Marc Leclerc

Listen, I think dealers are eager, obviously with the supply constraints out.

00:16:35 Jean Marc Leclerc

There I mean.

00:16:36 Jean Marc Leclerc

Obviously, they’re they’re eager to get more product, but.

00:16:40 Jean Marc Leclerc

Trust me, we’re eager to get more product and get product out to the network so they can sell to customers.

00:16:44 Jean Marc Leclerc

Also, because it’s it’s, it’s certainly not from lack of effort trying to to optimize what comes out of our factories.

00:16:54 Jean Marc Leclerc

Given all the you know the the restrictions are our limitations.

00:17:00 Jon Toker

Uh, I even heard the rumor that you guys are flying the chips in to be able to produce those cars and paying like lots of transportation costs.

00:17:08 Jean Marc Leclerc

Yeah, I mean, you know.

00:17:09 Jean Marc Leclerc

Obviously the logistics systems with every every industry and every company, everything is trying to either catch up and you know it’s it’s really plugged the the you know the the ports, right?

00:17:20 Jean Marc Leclerc

So a lot of things that you would have been expecting to arrive from Southeast Asia, for example through the ports.

00:17:25 Jean Marc Leclerc

Well, you know, there’s just more delays there.

00:17:27 Jean Marc Leclerc

Because everybody is trying to do the same thing.

00:17:29 Jean Marc Leclerc

So the solution to that is to.

00:17:31 Jean Marc Leclerc

Again, it paid the extra cost to fly him into keep your, you know your your, you know your plants producing at at at maximum capacity.

00:17:41 Jean Marc Leclerc

So it is costly, but it is.

00:17:42 Jean Marc Leclerc

You know, the the the alternative is is is not good which is to wait longer and to you know shave more production.

00:17:49 Jean Marc Leclerc

So so we’ve been doing that and again when we talk.

00:17:53 Jean Marc Leclerc

But inflationary costs you know out there.

00:17:55 Jean Marc Leclerc

Obviously the logistics costs no matter what the industry is, is is contributing to.

00:18:01 Jean Marc Leclerc

Uh, you know, prices increasing and so hopefully that’s going to stabilize.

00:18:08 Jean Marc Leclerc

Certainly not in the.

00:18:09 Jean Marc Leclerc

Short term but.

00:18:09 Jean Marc Leclerc

I’m hoping that that will happen. You know, sometime in 2023 it looks like at this time.

00:18:16 Jon Toker

Well, well, I mean I know you guys try and do your best, but you know, flying parts in must be very expensive to do that.

00:18:24 Jean Marc Leclerc

Yeah it it.

00:18:25 Jean Marc Leclerc

Is it, is, and and even you know we’re not the only ones thinking about flying part.

00:18:30 Jean Marc Leclerc

It’s at the factory, so again, now it’s becoming a little bit of a you know norm.

00:18:36 Jean Marc Leclerc

Well the norm and also you know the capacity when you have many people looking to aviation to bring parts in, so you have to contend you have to contend with that.

00:18:45 Jean Marc Leclerc

So, so yeah, it’s it’s it’s.

00:18:48 Jean Marc Leclerc

It’s been interested and you know again, I.

00:18:51 Jean Marc Leclerc

You know one of the one of the things in my career that I was lacking is really a lack of understanding on the manufacturing side.

00:18:58 Jean Marc Leclerc

But you know, I’ve had a, you know I.

00:19:00 Jean Marc Leclerc

Would say a.

00:19:01 Jean Marc Leclerc

Pretty steep learning curve, you know participating in meetings every week and and you know the people that that you know that that work with our logistics with our suppliers and suppliers of our suppliers you start to understand how delicate the supply chain is and.

00:19:18 Jean Marc Leclerc

And and that you know, a small small kink along the way can create a a ripple effect that will that will impact which you’re able to to manufacture.

00:19:28 Jean Marc Leclerc

You know, so whether.

00:19:28 Jean Marc Leclerc

The you know, transportation logistics, but also you know what your supplier with the pandemic switch to.

00:19:34 Jean Marc Leclerc

Remember, while the pandemic here appears to be slowing down and in other countries like in China right now that they’re in lockdown in some of the key areas, industrial areas.

00:19:43 Jean Marc Leclerc

So again, if if there’s a critical part being manufactured there, they’re having labor issues.

00:19:49 Jean Marc Leclerc

And then obviously that’s the ripple effect will impact us, so it’s not just what’s happening in our backyard, but really what’s happening in the global global arena on the supply chain.

00:20:02 Jon Toker

Yeah, because I had an opportunity to visit the plant one day and they were talking about.

00:20:06 Jon Toker

It and how they produce cars and the question arises that.

00:20:11 Jon Toker

So where’s your inventory of parts?

00:20:14 Jon Toker

And they say we don’t have one, so that day in the morning parts arrive, it become a car and leave the factory.

00:20:20 Jon Toker

By the end of the shift.

00:20:21 Jon Toker

So there’s no cars, being parts being stocked, right?

00:20:24 Jean Marc Leclerc

Yeah, well I I think they they but it’s it’s a limited I would.

00:20:28 Jean Marc Leclerc

Say it’s a limited quantity and and and.

00:20:31 Jean Marc Leclerc

Certainly it’s not.

00:20:32 Jean Marc Leclerc

It’s not a month or two months, but I can tell you that with everything that has gone on in the last couple of years.

00:20:39 Jean Marc Leclerc

You know, I think that’s there’s going to be a rethinking of that because I think people have realized you know whether it be a snowstorm to a pandemic or anything else.

00:20:50 Jean Marc Leclerc

It’s anything can impact.

00:20:53 Jean Marc Leclerc

Know your ability to produce.

00:20:55 Jean Marc Leclerc

So you know my.

00:20:57 Jean Marc Leclerc

Sense is that there’s going to be.

00:20:59 Jean Marc Leclerc

Some OK how much?

00:21:00 Jean Marc Leclerc

Safety stock do we need to to keep to overcome any of these threats or risks that may come our way right?

00:21:10 Jean Marc Leclerc

So I would say that from an industry perspective, that’s something that is going to.

00:21:15 Jean Marc Leclerc

Probably change moving forward.

00:21:19 Jon Toker

Make sense make definitely makes sense.

00:21:22 Jon Toker

Well, I’ll jump into the next question I have.

00:21:25 Jon Toker

So this is another important topic.

00:21:28 Jon Toker

When do Canadians start to see some fully electric vehicles from Honda?

00:21:34 Jean Marc Leclerc

Well, we have.

00:21:35 Jean Marc Leclerc

We’ve announced the prologue which is going to be the first Honda in partnership with General Motors, so using their LTE.

00:21:42 Jean Marc Leclerc

A battery plan.

00:21:44 Jean Marc Leclerc

Form that is scheduled for as a 2024, so I suspect again all things being equal and all things moving as fluidly as possible, probably toward the end of 2023. Early 2024 is when you’re going to see the first Honda product so, so the idea of a build your battery platform.

00:22:05 Jean Marc Leclerc

The LTM or the partnership is really to use their platform, but build what we call a cop hat.

00:22:11 Jean Marc Leclerc

Honda characteristics of the car.

00:22:14 Jean Marc Leclerc

With there being design and also driving characteristics to meet what our customers would expect from Honda.

00:22:20 Jean Marc Leclerc

And we’re going to find the same also on the Acura side, we haven’t announced the name of the model, but it’s going to be an SU.

00:22:26 Jean Marc Leclerc

V with a Honda badge based on that.

00:22:28 Jean Marc Leclerc

Platform and that’s going to be our first foray into electrification, we believe, with with models and segments that are the most desirable.

00:22:39 Jean Marc Leclerc

And then you know Honda is going to produce based on their E architecture electric vehicles towards.

00:22:48 Jean Marc Leclerc

The second half.

00:22:49 Jean Marc Leclerc

Of the of the decade, you know you’re going to see Honda product that they’re fully developed and and built.

00:22:57 Jean Marc Leclerc

Honda now you probably heard of the Sony Honda relationship.

00:23:01 Jean Marc Leclerc

We’re not quite sure how that is going to materialize because it’s still very early in the partnership.

00:23:08 Jean Marc Leclerc

But what we do know about it is that they you know it’s a.

00:23:11 Jean Marc Leclerc

It’s a joint venture that will create a company that will again.

00:23:18 Jean Marc Leclerc

Contribute to build.

00:23:20 Jean Marc Leclerc

TV’s and the first one being available in 2025 I believe, but we we’re not when I clear on where that’s going to be, what what markets that’s going to be targeted for.

00:23:31 Jean Marc Leclerc

But we’re excited to be obviously partnered with a company like Sony, who will be really be contributing on on on mobility services.

00:23:40 Jean Marc Leclerc

And entertainment service.

00:23:41 Jean Marc Leclerc

Is to tie to the hardware that Honda is going to be responsible for for building so.

00:23:47 Jean Marc Leclerc

So we’ve got a lot of things going on.

00:23:49 Jean Marc Leclerc

A lot of partnerships to really do two things is to accelerate the plans because, you know, with governments, assumption mandates you need to move more quickly if you will and and also to share the cost.

00:24:02 Jean Marc Leclerc

Of massive investments that are required in a very very short period of time to make sure that you can again meet the the regulatory.

00:24:12 Jean Marc Leclerc

Requirements that governments in many jurisdiction, whether it be in the US, Canada provinces.

00:24:17 Jean Marc Leclerc

States are putting forward so so so lots of activity.

00:24:22 Jean Marc Leclerc

It’s moving very quickly and Honda is going to be a major player in in the electrical electric vehicle market.

00:24:35 Jean Marc Leclerc

Really looking forward.

00:24:36 Jean Marc Leclerc

I know our dealers are looking forward to it, but we also have to be, you know, Cognizant of what needs to happen to create the right conditions for customers to buy these vehicles.

00:24:47 Jean Marc Leclerc

I think that.

00:24:48 Jean Marc Leclerc

A concern that’s borne by the industry.

00:24:52 Jean Marc Leclerc

It’s fine.

00:24:52 Jean Marc Leclerc

They’re coming.

00:24:53 Jean Marc Leclerc

They’re going to be built, but we still need two things from the government.

00:24:58 Jean Marc Leclerc

Really, three things from the government.

00:25:00 Jean Marc Leclerc

Number one is is.

00:25:02 Jean Marc Leclerc

Supporting the sale of Avis.

00:25:05 Jean Marc Leclerc

As you know the the they’re more expensive to produce, obviously, and so government support is pretty critical in the initial phases to make sure that you know we find homes for these vehicles.

00:25:17 Jean Marc Leclerc

And charging infrastructure would be #2 or to remove that anxiety that many people have about buying electric vehicles and #3 is really educating consumers about electric vehicles and and and really putting to rest some of the some of their anxiety about, you know.

00:25:38 Jean Marc Leclerc

Considering EVs because there’s a lot of interest in the news, John that there’s no doubt there’s a lot of talk about electrification, you know, from an industry perspective, the government is talking about it more from modernizing the economy to you.

00:25:51 Jean Marc Leclerc

Know that clean or green economy?

00:25:55 Jean Marc Leclerc

But you know a lot of work needs to be done to turn that interest into.

00:26:01 Jean Marc Leclerc

Buying you know customers actually buying them there.

00:26:05 Jean Marc Leclerc

There’s a lot of work to be done, so we’re working closely with governments to, you know, to to make sure that again, those conditions are in place so that we we can sell consumers those electric vehicles when when they become avail.

00:26:20 Jon Toker

Yeah, and I completely agree with you that there’s some sort of support mechanism should be provided in, because these cars are going to be more expensive, you can just make an entry level car for $25,000 MSRP.

00:26:34 Jon Toker

That’s not going to happen.

00:26:35 Jean Marc Leclerc

That’s right, that’s right, and and I think you know.

00:26:38 Jean Marc Leclerc

And again, it’s affordability if you think of what’s happening.

00:26:40 Jean Marc Leclerc

Right now with inflationary pressures we have the price of gas as the most recent example but.

00:26:45 Jean Marc Leclerc

You know real estate is spiraling out of control.

00:26:47 Jean Marc Leclerc

Uh, the price of food, so when you you know when we talked about companies that they currently sell leaves at a certain price, they’re talking to A at least debatable, more affluent customer.

00:26:58 Jean Marc Leclerc

Who are you?

00:26:59 Jean Marc Leclerc

Know less affected by some of these.

00:27:02 Jean Marc Leclerc

Some of these economic factors, if you will.

00:27:04 Jean Marc Leclerc

But when you get it to people that buy civics.

00:27:08 Jean Marc Leclerc

Right, you know I can’t remember.

00:27:11 Jean Marc Leclerc

We saw six per month now, but anyway the the buy civics it.

00:27:14 Jean Marc Leclerc

But there’s a price sensitivity there for those you know, for those customers and I think those are going to be probably more affected by you know, bought by that that the increase in the price of you know to buy a battery electric vehicle and.

00:27:29 Jean Marc Leclerc

It’s it’s, you know, those that people need to worry about as we sort of advance the you know, the government mandates that let’s say 50% by 2030 and 100% by 20.

00:27:41 Jean Marc Leclerc

35 once you increase that percentage of consumers to buy these cars, you get into customers that buy civics.

00:27:49 Jean Marc Leclerc

These CFE so that is something that we’re trying to convey to governments.

00:27:55 Jean Marc Leclerc

It’s really the practicality of that transition and what needs to be done to make sure that we we get to the place that we all believe we need to get to because climate change is real and and and you know, I think we were talking about right now.

00:28:09 Jean Marc Leclerc

Is really the speed of that transition and some of the targets that are, you know they’re going to be challenging to hit if those conditions are not in place.

00:28:20 Jon Toker

Yep, yeah, absolutely absolutely right.

00:28:23 Jon Toker

It’s we have to do it.

00:28:25 Jon Toker

It’s just we have to find a a feasible way to do it.

00:28:28 Jon Toker

In a very quick manner.

00:28:30 Jon Toker

Because, as you said, it’s it’s it’s real.

00:28:32 Jon Toker

You know the.

00:28:33 Jon Toker

The issues are real and and we have to solve these problems, but again the cost becomes a big factor in it.

00:28:39 Jon Toker

But maybe the car type of car ownership maybe in a different way too.

00:28:43 Jon Toker

In the future too, so they make it a little bit more afford.

00:28:45 Jon Toker

People like you know we, we may not have to have a car full time.

00:28:48 Jon Toker

We may do some shares and stuff.

00:28:51 Jon Toker

We don’t know what will happen in the future, but that could be a solution.

00:28:54 Jean Marc Leclerc

To yeah, but that exists that exists in Europe, it’s it’s again, it’s.

00:28:58 Jean Marc Leclerc

It’s a it’s kind like your Airbnb that exists for cars. I’m not sure what it’s called, but yeah, I think we’re going to have to be innovative.

00:29:05 Jean Marc Leclerc

In in, you know some of the financial tools that are going to be available for people to afford.

00:29:11 Jean Marc Leclerc

Uh, these vehicles so.

00:29:15 Jean Marc Leclerc

You know car sharing if you will or or Co ownership of cars or they’re all things that you know that are going to be talked about as things get, you know, move forward because bottom line we need to make them affordable for people to to buy.

00:29:30 Jean Marc Leclerc

And again, as we reach those customers that are more.

00:29:34 Jean Marc Leclerc

You know price sensitive if you will or affordability kicks in then we’re going to have to really work hard to define these tools to make it affordable.

00:29:44 Jon Toker

Yeah, but the good news is you you guys have Honda Honda Canada Finance, so that’s going to help you to become more creative in the future.

00:29:51 Jon Toker

If you need to be.

00:29:53 Jon Toker

Good a lot.

00:29:54 Jean Marc Leclerc

So we’re having a captive finance company that we can work in partnership with.

00:29:58 Jean Marc Leclerc

Toward that goal.

00:29:59 Jean Marc Leclerc

Is is critically important?

00:30:00 Jean Marc Leclerc

So we think from that perspective we have.

00:30:03 Jean Marc Leclerc

You know, we we certainly have an edge and and and I think those manufacturers that have the same kind of relationship will.

00:30:09 Jean Marc Leclerc

You know we’ll benefit for sure.

00:30:12 Jon Toker

Perfect thank you.

00:30:13 Jon Toker

Thank you for a detailed answer.

00:30:16 Jon Toker

Uh, so let’s switch to another important topic and it is.

00:30:21 Jon Toker

It has been.

00:30:22 Jon Toker

It’s been talked about a lot and it’s another important stuff.

00:30:27 Jon Toker

Currently, Honda powerhouse products are available for online purchases, so I can go buy my lawnmower.

00:30:33 Jon Toker

And you know online and pick up at a local dealer.

00:30:36 Jon Toker

When would consumers be able to purchase vehicles from honda.ca website and pick up at their their local Honda store?

00:30:44 Jean Marc Leclerc

Well, that’s that’s that’s a loaded question, John.

00:30:46 Jean Marc Leclerc

I I think you know, we we’ve, you know, listen all the the I would say that the mechanics or the you know the the online tools are there.

00:30:54 Jean Marc Leclerc

I think there’s there’s a few more left to go to have an end to end sort of digital or ecommerce solution. Inahonda.ca and accra.ca.

00:31:04 Jean Marc Leclerc

Yeah, you know our objective is not to sell cars online.

00:31:07 Jean Marc Leclerc

Our objective is to, you know, make sure we provide consumers.

00:31:14 Jean Marc Leclerc

You know the tools they need to sort of advance their shopping.

00:31:19 Jean Marc Leclerc

As far as they want to go.

00:31:21 Jean Marc Leclerc

But we still think the personal interaction with the dealers is pretty critical.

00:31:25 Jean Marc Leclerc

You know you need to build that relationship.

00:31:26 Jean Marc Leclerc

I think this whole notion of our, you know, the world is going to be so impersonal that we’re going to do anything online, especially with a large purchase like like auto.

00:31:35 Jean Marc Leclerc

You know, I think is.

00:31:37 Jean Marc Leclerc

Is you know, maybe.

00:31:39 Jean Marc Leclerc

Overstated if you will.

00:31:40 Jean Marc Leclerc

I still think people will look for those interactions.

00:31:43 Jean Marc Leclerc

And being able to pick up the phone and talk to somebody that they know that helped them purchase the car so so the idea for us is really too and we know by the way, these customers, our customers, I would wouldn’t have a problem to do it that way, but I still it’s going to be a very very slow process and the idea for us is just to give that ability for.

00:32:01 Jean Marc Leclerc

Consumers, whatever they’re comfortable with to do.

00:32:03 Jean Marc Leclerc

As much of their shopping and their interaction online and then move, move that to a dealership.

00:32:11 Jean Marc Leclerc

For that you know for that personal.

00:32:12 Jean Marc Leclerc

Touch, so that’s what you know the plan is for us and dealers will continue to play an important role in the process.

00:32:22 Jean Marc Leclerc

’cause I know that there’s a lot of conversation in the industry about that, but that’s Honda’s POV and we’ve say that we.

00:32:30 Jean Marc Leclerc

Said that to our.

00:32:30 Jean Marc Leclerc

Dealers like countless, countless.

00:32:33 Jean Marc Leclerc

Occasions to put their minds at ease.

00:32:35 Jean Marc Leclerc

That there will.

00:32:35 Jean Marc Leclerc

Be part of the solution and we believe in even with you know competitors the the emerging competitors come in a market that will be doing business a little differently that that will be a competitive edge for us to you know to rely on an established dealer network and those personal relationship.

00:32:52 Jean Marc Leclerc

Steps in the car buying process.

00:32:56 Jon Toker

Yeah, I think having an established dealer network is A is a big competitive advantage compared to just have that agency type of model that you know you buy the cars and delivery centers.

00:33:08 Jon Toker

No personal touch I.

00:33:11 Jon Toker

I still believe the dealer component is very important and you’re absolutely right, it’s it’s a competitive advantage.

00:33:17 Jon Toker

And Honda dealer network is pretty established like 282 stores across the country and 50 or 60 Acura stores. I don’t know like that number.

00:33:26 Jean Marc Leclerc

That’s that’s it’s 282 total. I think it’s, uh, yeah, it’s 50.

00:33:31 Jean Marc Leclerc

Two 3230 Honda. About 50 Acura. So yeah, yeah yeah, it’s a pretty good number and again, we’ve got really good coverage.

00:33:36 Jon Toker

That’s a pretty good number, right?

00:33:40 Jean Marc Leclerc

Obviously coast to coast.

00:33:42 Jean Marc Leclerc

So again, you know we believe that’s going to be a.

00:33:45 Jean Marc Leclerc

Challenge for those emerging.

00:33:47 Jean Marc Leclerc

Competitors that will be selling electric vehicles.

00:33:51 Jean Marc Leclerc

Obviously as they grow and and and you know you know it’s it’s starting to be the case.

00:33:56 Jean Marc Leclerc

With Tesla, there’s more bricks and mortar that we see sort of build across because their business is growing and and, and I think it’s going to be something that you know that that is going to be an advantage for.

00:34:07 Jean Marc Leclerc

For Honda when we when we sell these vehicles.

00:34:10 Jon Toker

Yeah, because it’s not just selling the car, it’s it’s servicing it in and you use car business to what’s going to happen to those trade in is going to come in right if you don’t have a location to trade those cars in, what are you going to do?

00:34:21 Jon Toker

Well, that’s a part of.

00:34:22 Jean Marc Leclerc

The service yeah and and giving value to the customer with with their used cars and given a certain you know.

00:34:28 Jean Marc Leclerc

Again, it’s all part of the you know that that you know the car buying experience and really the affordability of it too, right?

00:34:35 Jean Marc Leclerc

When when you have those relationships it it helps to make make that transition.

00:34:41 Jean Marc Leclerc

You know, as smooth as it can be.

00:34:44 Jean Marc Leclerc

So so yeah, we’re listen we’re we’re excited about where we’re going.

00:34:49 Jean Marc Leclerc

We know the digital side of things will grow, we’re ready for it and we’re working with our dealers.

00:34:57 Jean Marc Leclerc

We have, we call it Innovation Committee, that you know whose job it is to bring dealers together to talk to the people that.

00:35:04 Jean Marc Leclerc

Design our systems and talk about where our business.

00:35:07 Jean Marc Leclerc

Needs to go.

00:35:08 Jean Marc Leclerc

And talk about solutions where we can work together and sort of, you know integrate our businesses if you will to make sure that the experience of the consumer, whether they decide to come in throughahonda.ca or a dealer portal, is as seamless as possible.

00:35:25 Jon Toker

That’s that’s amazing.

00:35:26 Jon Toker

Well, I’ll jump into my final question.

00:35:29 Jon Toker

I don’t want to take a lot of your time.

00:35:30 Jon Toker

I know you have a huge company.

00:35:32 Jon Toker

To run, so I’m sure you’re busy.

00:35:37 Jean Marc Leclerc

Well, when do.

00:35:38 Jon Toker

You personally think the chip shortage will ease and Honda will continue to produce cars at the the pre pandemic level.

00:35:47 Jean Marc Leclerc

Yeah, well I you know I I kind of hinted, you know when I answered a previous question that you know it’s going to be sometime in in in 2023.

00:35:55 Jean Marc Leclerc

There there just seems to be again if we look at things like the pandemic sort of in other parts of the world, it’s still re emerging, and again all the the issues that come from them that are affecting what we do here in North America and Canada.

00:36:09 Jean Marc Leclerc

You know this is still going on and.

00:36:13 Jean Marc Leclerc

And again we got to remember, you know, the auto industry is very important, but there’s other other industries that are affected that are trying to make up for lost time by putting pressure on their on their suppliers to you know.

00:36:26 Jean Marc Leclerc

Yeah, give me those chips.

00:36:27 Jean Marc Leclerc

For example right so that whole dynamic is is what’s really creating this this.

00:36:33 Jean Marc Leclerc

You know, pushing the what I would call back to normal a little further down the pipeline than what was expected.

00:36:40 Jean Marc Leclerc

Frankly, ’cause I think we were all hoping that 2022 things we’re going to stabilize and we’re going to get back to to normal. The other comment I will make.

00:36:48 Jean Marc Leclerc

Done is is, I think.

00:36:50 Jean Marc Leclerc

The the industry right now and also the dealer networks are are realizing that.

00:36:55 Jean Marc Leclerc

You know, dealing with you know pre selling orders or having fewer days supply available.

00:37:03 Jean Marc Leclerc

There’s a lot of benefits to that, right?

00:37:05 Jean Marc Leclerc

And there’s a sense also in the industry there’s a.

00:37:09 Jean Marc Leclerc

Lot of talk.

00:37:09 Jean Marc Leclerc

About are we really going to go back to 6090 days supply? Certainly for us.

00:37:14 Jean Marc Leclerc

Uh, certainly not with the day supply we have now. It’s going to be a lot, but certainly not back to the 6090 days.

00:37:21 Jean Marc Leclerc

That kind of forces you to spend a lot of incentives and and put pressure on on dealers to clear inventory so we can make room for more.

00:37:29 Jean Marc Leclerc

I think there’s lessons to be learned with the way things are run today, and the reason I say that.

00:37:35 Jean Marc Leclerc

It’s about customer satisfaction.

00:37:36 Jean Marc Leclerc

You would think with all the people waiting for their vehicles.

00:37:39 Jean Marc Leclerc

It’s a it’s actually customer satisfaction on the sales side is actually better.

00:37:46 Jean Marc Leclerc

Which is surprising because you would think otherwise.

00:37:49 Jean Marc Leclerc

People are not used to waiting for their cars, but I think there’s a general understanding by the public of what’s going on, so they’re more understanding and they they kind of like the process of going to a dealership.

00:37:58 Jean Marc Leclerc

I’m waiting for the car.

00:37:59 Jean Marc Leclerc

I know what I’m.

00:38:00 Jean Marc Leclerc

Going to get versus being maybe pushed towards a vehicle that’s in inventory and you know.

00:38:05 Jean Marc Leclerc

This whole dynamic.

00:38:06 Jean Marc Leclerc

So we need to reflect, you know, as an industry.

00:38:10 Jean Marc Leclerc

But certainly it’s happening at Honda about what that future will look like.

00:38:14 Jean Marc Leclerc

Post pandemic and and and what is that that sweet spot in terms of day supply?

00:38:20 Jean Marc Leclerc

By meeting customer expectations and making sure that they leave happy and you know how that’s all.

00:38:25 Jean Marc Leclerc

Going to work moving forward.

00:38:28 Jon Toker

That’s, uh, you’re, you’re absolutely right there.

00:38:30 Jon Toker

I mean, probably the car business may not go back to what it was before in terms of having that many inventory, not just Honda, about any brand.

00:38:37 Jon Toker

I don’t think they would do.

00:38:37 Jean Marc Leclerc

I think so.

00:38:38 Jon Toker

That anymore driver.

00:38:39 Jean Marc Leclerc

The key John is is are we going to be disciplined as an industry ’cause we all talk a good game right now and we all see the benefits.

00:38:46 Jean Marc Leclerc

But again, is the is the lure of gaining more market share and and and and the solution to that being pushed more product in the marketplace that remains to be seen.

00:38:58 Jon Toker

Yeah, and and the other thing is, there’s a significant demand for like import products and and import products are are very high demand, especially like civic type of vehicles and curvy type of vehicles in across the every brand.

00:39:14 Jon Toker

Yeah, and there’s a there’s multiple reasons behind it because they use those cars.

00:39:17 Jon Toker

Sometimes for you know gig economy too like delivery services Uber, it’s a necessity.

00:39:24 Jon Toker

Too, so I think as import car manufacturers like Honda should make more cars because it’s good.

00:39:33 Jean Marc Leclerc

Well, if we if we if we.

00:39:35 Jean Marc Leclerc

Have the opportunity to sell them.

00:39:36 Jean Marc Leclerc

We will, but it’s it’s it’s it’s finding that sweet spot and again meeting that demand.

00:39:40 Jean Marc Leclerc

Nobody likes the fact that we’re not able to meet demand.

00:39:44 Jean Marc Leclerc

I mean, it’s it’s, you know it’s it’s it’s.

00:39:46 Jean Marc Leclerc

It’s devastating when you think about it and and and really outside of our nature.

00:39:52 Jean Marc Leclerc

But listen, we’ll get there.

00:39:55 Jean Marc Leclerc

You know one day we just need to weather that storm, but in the meantime we need to optimize.

00:40:00 Jean Marc Leclerc

Is working with what we have and optimize every transaction to the best we can.

00:40:06 Jon Toker

Perfect I, I really appreciate for your time.

00:40:08 Jon Toker

Jean Marc.

00:40:09 Jon Toker

It’s been absolute treasure and you know having these kind of conversations with people in charge and this is this is really good and the answers you got directly from the person not the rumors you actually hear the real deal then.

00:40:25 Jon Toker

Before we end the and the and the show anything you want to add anything you want us.

00:40:31 Jon Toker

Any message you want to deliver.

00:40:33 Jean Marc Leclerc

No listen, I think I will say this John and for the benefit of those my compadres in the industry, I’m really pleased with.

00:40:42 Jean Marc Leclerc

I think the unity of the industry when it comes to you know, electrification and working with governments, because we’re all competitors.

00:40:52 Jean Marc Leclerc

But you know.

00:40:53 Jean Marc Leclerc

When you find enough common ground.

00:40:55 Jean Marc Leclerc

To you know to make sure that your governments understand the the you know the maybe the repercussions of moving too quickly or or you know I.

00:41:06 Jean Marc Leclerc

I think it’s unprecedented in my experience. In my 27 years, my 37 years really in the industry and I think it’s really healthy to have this open lines of communication.

00:41:16 Jean Marc Leclerc

Involving all aspects of the year you know or all players or stakeholders in the industry.

00:41:21 Jean Marc Leclerc

So I just want to say thumbs up to my my friends in the industry.

00:41:24 Jean Marc Leclerc

I think we need to keep that going because I think it’s going to benefit benefit us all.

00:41:29 Jean Marc Leclerc

In the end.

00:41:31 Jon Toker

That’s that’s great.

00:41:32 Jon Toker

And if somebody wants to get ahold of you best places, that is on LinkedIn, you would.

00:41:37 Jean Marc Leclerc

Say yeah LinkedIn, I’m I’m yeah.

00:41:39 Jean Marc Leclerc

But I get so many.

00:41:41 Jean Marc Leclerc

So many on LinkedIn.

00:41:42 Jean Marc Leclerc

I just don’t want to forget something, but it’s I get a tremendous amount of you know questions and yeah, but I would say LinkedIn.

00:41:49 Jean Marc Leclerc

Is a pretty good place too.

00:41:51 Jean Marc Leclerc

Uh, you know to go to if you want to get ahold of me.

00:41:53 Jean Marc Leclerc

If you have a question and I’ll do my best to to reply.

00:41:58 Jon Toker

That’s perfect, well again, thank you for your time.

00:42:00 Jon Toker

I I’d like to thank the listeners and the weavers again this if you missed the watch the whole show today, this will be recorded.

00:42:08 Jon Toker

I mean it is recorded and you will be able to watch it.

00:42:10 Jon Toker

Or listen it on your favorite place and again, thank you.

00:42:14 Jon Toker

Jean Marc and I thank everybody and have a great day.

00:42:18 Jon Toker

OK.

00:42:19 Jean Marc Leclerc

Thank you John.

00:42:19 Jean Marc Leclerc

Pleasure, take care.