Why do they insist on insulting our intelligence? Any electric vehicle (EV) battery made with cobalt depends on child labour in the Congo, or rare-earth minerals refined in China that are not green, clean or ethical. As for the massive carbon footprint from the mining needed to produce these necessary metals and materials, they aren't either. (Check out Michael Campbell's Moneytalks on the subject: Yes, common sense is out there.)Nevertheless, the federal Liberal government has unveiled its plan for Canada to move away from fully gas-powered cars and toward electric vehicles, mandating all sales of passenger cars, SUVs, crossovers and light trucks be hybrids, electric or hydrogen-powered by 2035.Environment Minister Stephen Guilbeault said, "What we're proposing is that, by 2035, we progressively make it easier to buy electric vehicles. So, 12 years from now, 100% of new vehicles sold would have to be electric vehicles. But people who have gas-powered engines would be able to continue using them past 2035; they just won't be able to buy new ones."If ever there was a simple issue to clarify for the voter, that we are very poorly led at the federal level, the new edicts about electric vehicles should be the damming evidence. It’s a fairytale story that is being swallowed by the media, and even some seemingly intelligent people. However, there are enough clear-thinking voters who understand it. They realize that duty calls. They must ensure that within their power and reach, these children in government must be dismissed.This childrens' story time begins with a tale about how the NDP-Liberals have a dream to phase out sales of gas-powered cars and trucks. The story involves massive tax revenue taken from the many and given to the few affluent who can financially qualify to buy an expensive EV. Huge giveaways to corporations have been promised to build these vehicles. In addition, there are existing and increasing subsidies for consumers to help convince them to buy. Then there must be a massive public investment in electrification of every remote part of the country to the levels needed to meet the artificially created demand for electric power.That means Canada needs hundreds of thousands of public EV charging ports. It is an audacious challenge for our electrical grid, but of course it's just all a dream. Over the past few weeks many communities were without electrical power. One must think about how many power outages occurred in your area in the last year. It is a sobering thought, how society stops when the power goes off.Modelling shows more than $400 billion is needed to replace aging electrical facilities and expand generation capacity. Without such investments, Canada will be unable to respond to the pressure placed on the system from vehicle charging demands, heating and cooling systems, communication networks and general economic growth. To meet the federal government's net-zero targets, it will require a nationwide network of public charging ports. More reliable stable power sources will be required. Where will they come from? Supply and sustainability are important. Canada lags on charging infrastructure and there is no easy cheap fix. To meet the demand for stable power, more coal and gas-fired plants will be needed. Wind, solar, tidal, hydro-dams and nuclear power will not meet the planned demand for several generations, if the king in the storybook gets his way over his people.The government is getting coercive. In the story, automakers will need to earn a minimum number of credits or face fines. They can get these credits from selling EVs and by installing more charging stations. Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault said a combination of private and public funding will build out the network. In other words every person will pay for it, regardless of whether they drive or own any kind of vehicle. Taxpayers know the meaning of heavy government subsidy; we all pay.In Liberal fantasyland, Natural Resources Canada estimates that Canada will need about 450,000 public charging ports by 2035. There are currently 10,500 charging stations and 25,246 charging ports based on the Electric Charging and Alternative Fuelling Station Locator information. There is a near unbridgeable gap between what we currently have and what is required in the story. If we're going to come near these very aggressive targets, we need a massive build-out of the charging infrastructure. If we ever eventually get there, it will never be within years of the timeline of the NDP-Liberal storybook.The story says the primary responsibility for the change in grid infrastructure lies with the federal government, because they are going to control the sale of vehicles and they are writing the rules on the demand side. However, power grids are in provincial jurisdiction.When will the taxpayer say enough? The auto sector should be leading, because it has the expertise about where charging ports are needed and when. The auto sector, not Ottawa, should be taking the lead on infrastructure, because it has expertise on the economics of it all. Market forces must play a bigger role and have government out of the way with their artificially created chaos and wishful demands. Perhaps the taxpayer might assist building infrastructure in northern and rural communities.Currently, chargers are being funded through a combination of federal, provincial, territorial and municipal governments, as well as the private sector, mostly in large urban areas. We need to establish coordination and have market forces sort out resources. The government should referee but not operate. Government is inherently inefficient and wastes resources by using expensive borrowed money. The manufacture and sales of EVs, and the infrastructure to support it, are not together.Cities will have to find options to add more EV chargers, including options for those without a driveway or garage. Chargers will be required in new builds and gradually retrofitted everywhere. It took years to make public places wheelchair friendly and it will take even longer and cost much more to make cities EV-friendly. Retrofitting condos and apartment buildings can cost thousands and in many areas, it is just not possible. Across the country, there's a smorgasbord of incentives and regulations for new builds to include charging stations. Electrical codes need to change. The government is confiscating billions of our money to pour it into the electric vehicle industry. Will it pay off? Since on average electric vehicles are less reliable than regular cars and trucks, reality will strike in various forms. We hear the shocking stories of the cost of replacing a battery in an EV.There is a horrible untold story about the environmental damage of manufacturing EV vehicles. Then there is the poor folk paying for the rich to buy them. Then there is the steep mountain of debt to climb to make way for EVs in our society. Reality hits are coming. The story will be revealed as a fantasy, and the realty consequence may not be that pleasant.
Why do they insist on insulting our intelligence? Any electric vehicle (EV) battery made with cobalt depends on child labour in the Congo, or rare-earth minerals refined in China that are not green, clean or ethical. As for the massive carbon footprint from the mining needed to produce these necessary metals and materials, they aren't either. (Check out Michael Campbell's Moneytalks on the subject: Yes, common sense is out there.)Nevertheless, the federal Liberal government has unveiled its plan for Canada to move away from fully gas-powered cars and toward electric vehicles, mandating all sales of passenger cars, SUVs, crossovers and light trucks be hybrids, electric or hydrogen-powered by 2035.Environment Minister Stephen Guilbeault said, "What we're proposing is that, by 2035, we progressively make it easier to buy electric vehicles. So, 12 years from now, 100% of new vehicles sold would have to be electric vehicles. But people who have gas-powered engines would be able to continue using them past 2035; they just won't be able to buy new ones."If ever there was a simple issue to clarify for the voter, that we are very poorly led at the federal level, the new edicts about electric vehicles should be the damming evidence. It’s a fairytale story that is being swallowed by the media, and even some seemingly intelligent people. However, there are enough clear-thinking voters who understand it. They realize that duty calls. They must ensure that within their power and reach, these children in government must be dismissed.This childrens' story time begins with a tale about how the NDP-Liberals have a dream to phase out sales of gas-powered cars and trucks. The story involves massive tax revenue taken from the many and given to the few affluent who can financially qualify to buy an expensive EV. Huge giveaways to corporations have been promised to build these vehicles. In addition, there are existing and increasing subsidies for consumers to help convince them to buy. Then there must be a massive public investment in electrification of every remote part of the country to the levels needed to meet the artificially created demand for electric power.That means Canada needs hundreds of thousands of public EV charging ports. It is an audacious challenge for our electrical grid, but of course it's just all a dream. Over the past few weeks many communities were without electrical power. One must think about how many power outages occurred in your area in the last year. It is a sobering thought, how society stops when the power goes off.Modelling shows more than $400 billion is needed to replace aging electrical facilities and expand generation capacity. Without such investments, Canada will be unable to respond to the pressure placed on the system from vehicle charging demands, heating and cooling systems, communication networks and general economic growth. To meet the federal government's net-zero targets, it will require a nationwide network of public charging ports. More reliable stable power sources will be required. Where will they come from? Supply and sustainability are important. Canada lags on charging infrastructure and there is no easy cheap fix. To meet the demand for stable power, more coal and gas-fired plants will be needed. Wind, solar, tidal, hydro-dams and nuclear power will not meet the planned demand for several generations, if the king in the storybook gets his way over his people.The government is getting coercive. In the story, automakers will need to earn a minimum number of credits or face fines. They can get these credits from selling EVs and by installing more charging stations. Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault said a combination of private and public funding will build out the network. In other words every person will pay for it, regardless of whether they drive or own any kind of vehicle. Taxpayers know the meaning of heavy government subsidy; we all pay.In Liberal fantasyland, Natural Resources Canada estimates that Canada will need about 450,000 public charging ports by 2035. There are currently 10,500 charging stations and 25,246 charging ports based on the Electric Charging and Alternative Fuelling Station Locator information. There is a near unbridgeable gap between what we currently have and what is required in the story. If we're going to come near these very aggressive targets, we need a massive build-out of the charging infrastructure. If we ever eventually get there, it will never be within years of the timeline of the NDP-Liberal storybook.The story says the primary responsibility for the change in grid infrastructure lies with the federal government, because they are going to control the sale of vehicles and they are writing the rules on the demand side. However, power grids are in provincial jurisdiction.When will the taxpayer say enough? The auto sector should be leading, because it has the expertise about where charging ports are needed and when. The auto sector, not Ottawa, should be taking the lead on infrastructure, because it has expertise on the economics of it all. Market forces must play a bigger role and have government out of the way with their artificially created chaos and wishful demands. Perhaps the taxpayer might assist building infrastructure in northern and rural communities.Currently, chargers are being funded through a combination of federal, provincial, territorial and municipal governments, as well as the private sector, mostly in large urban areas. We need to establish coordination and have market forces sort out resources. The government should referee but not operate. Government is inherently inefficient and wastes resources by using expensive borrowed money. The manufacture and sales of EVs, and the infrastructure to support it, are not together.Cities will have to find options to add more EV chargers, including options for those without a driveway or garage. Chargers will be required in new builds and gradually retrofitted everywhere. It took years to make public places wheelchair friendly and it will take even longer and cost much more to make cities EV-friendly. Retrofitting condos and apartment buildings can cost thousands and in many areas, it is just not possible. Across the country, there's a smorgasbord of incentives and regulations for new builds to include charging stations. Electrical codes need to change. The government is confiscating billions of our money to pour it into the electric vehicle industry. Will it pay off? Since on average electric vehicles are less reliable than regular cars and trucks, reality will strike in various forms. We hear the shocking stories of the cost of replacing a battery in an EV.There is a horrible untold story about the environmental damage of manufacturing EV vehicles. Then there is the poor folk paying for the rich to buy them. Then there is the steep mountain of debt to climb to make way for EVs in our society. Reality hits are coming. The story will be revealed as a fantasy, and the realty consequence may not be that pleasant.
