An imaginary telephone call from an American automobile manufacturing executive (“Mike”) and his Canadian account manager (“Joe”) on February 14, 2020:
Joe: “Hello, this is Joe at the Toronto accounts office. How can I help you?”
Mike: “Joe, is that you? This is Mike from Hamtramck. Where is that shipment you promised me yesterday? I got a factory with 50 workers twiddling their thumbs because I got no shipment. Where is my shipment?”
Joe: “Hello, this is Joe at the Toronto accounts office. How can I help you?”
Mike: “Joe, is that you? This is Mike from Hamtramck. Where is that shipment you promised me yesterday? I got a factory with 50 workers twiddling their thumbs because I got no shipment. Where is my shipment?”
Joe: “Well, I’m sorry, my friend. We were shipping it out by freight on CN Rail and we ran into a little problem. Environmental protesters shut down the rail lines.”
Mike: “Yikes! That’s serious! I saw this kind of thing when I served in the armed forces. What did they use to shut down the rails? Dynamite? Bombs? Landmines?”
Joe: “No. They put up some tents.”
Mike: “Pardon me?”
Joe: "They put up tents. You know. Tents like the ones you can buy at Canadian Tire.”
Mike: “Surely you’re kidding me, Joe. Do you mean to tell me that my factory is going to shut down because some environmentalists went camping on your rail lines? Didn’t someone call the Mounties, get them off the rails and get those trains moving?”
Joe: “Well, it’s a bit complex, you see. No one wanted confrontation. The Prime Minister called for dialogue. Talking is better than fighting.”
Mike: “Yikes! That’s serious! I saw this kind of thing when I served in the armed forces. What did they use to shut down the rails? Dynamite? Bombs? Landmines?”
Joe: “No. They put up some tents.”
Mike: “Pardon me?”
Joe: "They put up tents. You know. Tents like the ones you can buy at Canadian Tire.”
Mike: “Surely you’re kidding me, Joe. Do you mean to tell me that my factory is going to shut down because some environmentalists went camping on your rail lines? Didn’t someone call the Mounties, get them off the rails and get those trains moving?”
Joe: “Well, it’s a bit complex, you see. No one wanted confrontation. The Prime Minister called for dialogue. Talking is better than fighting.”
Mike: “These people aren’t talking. They’re shutting down rail lines! They’re ruining my business and they’re breaking the law. I paid for those shipments, Joe. What about my money? What about my time? What about my rights? Who’s going to dialogue with me about that?”
Joe: “I’m sorry. We’re just going to have to wait until this gets sorted out.”
Mike: “I’m not waiting. I got a business to run. I’m cancelling my business with you, Joe. I’m ordering from someone who delivers what I paid for. From now on, I’ll make my purchases from someone right here in the U.S.A. where campers can't shut down the rail lines."
Joe: “Wait! Please don’t cancel. I need your business. I have a family to support.”
Mike: “And so do I, and I have workers here in this factory and they have families, too. They’re not shutting down any rail lines. They’re working hard, paying taxes, and obeying the law. I have to take care of them.”
Joe: “Please Mike. Just give it some time. Things will get cleared up soon.”
Mike: “Really? If the protesters can get away with blocking rail lines, then what will they do next? I have people to take care of, Joe. You don’t care about my people. You’re letting a bunch of campers shut down my factory. I can’t let that happen. Bye.”
Note: The above imaginary conversation was based on a true story.
Joe: “I’m sorry. We’re just going to have to wait until this gets sorted out.”
Mike: “I’m not waiting. I got a business to run. I’m cancelling my business with you, Joe. I’m ordering from someone who delivers what I paid for. From now on, I’ll make my purchases from someone right here in the U.S.A. where campers can't shut down the rail lines."
Joe: “Wait! Please don’t cancel. I need your business. I have a family to support.”
Mike: “And so do I, and I have workers here in this factory and they have families, too. They’re not shutting down any rail lines. They’re working hard, paying taxes, and obeying the law. I have to take care of them.”
Joe: “Please Mike. Just give it some time. Things will get cleared up soon.”
Mike: “Really? If the protesters can get away with blocking rail lines, then what will they do next? I have people to take care of, Joe. You don’t care about my people. You’re letting a bunch of campers shut down my factory. I can’t let that happen. Bye.”
Note: The above imaginary conversation was based on a true story.