You are correct that “defect”, as a word, is not defined in the Motor Vehicle Safety Act. However, under the department's guidelines for enforcement and compliance policy, which is available on the web, we have criteria that outline what a defect is.
As well, Mr. Volpe, we had a court case in 1979, the crown versus Ford Motor Company, where the judge articulated a very coherent definition of “defect”. This is widely known by government and by all the auto companies.
I don't want to read it here, but if the committee wishes we will be happy to supply what our guidelines say and what the courts have said in terms of what a safety-related defect is.