Meet the Mechanics

Daughters Leah and Johnna have been helping their father, John Swaine, in most areas of the business since they were young tots, starting off with early morning excursions in the plow-truck.

“I used to take them plowing when they were less than a year old,� said Swaine.

“I’d take them to the old air force base at the end of Baccaro. Get up two or three o’clock in the morning and strap them in the seat and go down and plow. They just grew up in it, in and out of trucks. Wherever I could take ‘em, I took ‘em,� he said.

Although both daughters left briefly for university, they’ve returned to work for the 50+ year-old, family-owned business.

Leah started out for her Bachelor of Science at Dalhousie University.

“Dal’s just too big for me. I was used to a small little town. I really didn’t like it,� she said.

“I said I was going to come home and work for awhile. I come to work with Dad and basically started out right in the shop: doing mechanics, pretty much everything he did. We went on the wrecker, changed tires. I didn’t mind coming to work every morning. Working with family gets on your nerves sometimes but it’s not too bad.�

She’s now taking business administration at the Nova Scotia Community College, Burridge, and says she may use that knowledge to work at the family’s parts store, Passage Auto Parts.

Johhna went to Saint Mary’s and lasted about three months.

“I actually did make it till Christmas,� she said. “I came home and just felt it was a waste of money.�

This summer she took a three-month flight attendant course.

“Just in case I want to go out West, I’ll have something to do when I go out there. Ever since then I’ve been working here,� she said.

Their Mom, Debbie, manages the parts store and their brother, James, is taking automotive technology at Holland College in Prince Edward Island.

When asked what the hardest thing about working in a garage is, they both laugh and agree that it’s lifting the 20-inch tires.

Fellow employees tease them good-naturedly about working in a predominately male profession.

“I feel proud and I think everyone around here is pretty good about it. They all treat us good,� said Leah.

“I think it’s the same as anything else… working in the fish plant… like take Yvette out front, she used to body-fill cars and paint them and stuff for her Dad. If anyone had the opportunity I think they’d do it,� said Johnna.

Swaine hopes the girls stay to work with him for many years, maybe to even inherit the business. He’s proud that they’ve developed an aptitude for the work. Proof of this is obvious when his daughters work the parts store.

“When something’s laid on the counter, they know what it is and there’s a good chance they know how to put it on.�