OTTAWA — Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s bid for a seat in Battle River—Crowfoot is shining a light on the growing fight among rural and remote Canadians for the right to fix the things they own.

With tractors and other specialized farm equipment increasingly reliant on proprietary software, manufacturers are using a variety of digital methods to lock out third-party repairs — effectively forcing farms and other businesses to deal exclusively with manufacturer-authorized service providers.

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It’s a problem that’s bedevilling area farmers who are already reckoning with razor-thin profit margins.

“I can tell you it’s no fun ringing the manufacturer for after-hours service, and having them charge you $50 to $100 a pop for a call-out fee,” said Rick Strankman, a gra

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