Liberal Minority Government 2025 - ???

[lenaitch]

I think this was inevitable; the dates were ambitious at best, but there was never any reinvestment in the (mostly privatized) power distribution grid to enable it, and EVs are realistically impractical to be wholesale adopted in a country the size of ours with the population density and distances between places we have.

Great for city runners though, and the new smart chargers that just got incorporated into the CEC that automatically down rate until the load on the panel drops off (ie at night) makes it actually practical for all the people that can't upgrade to 200 A panels even if they want to, just because the grids are tapped out.

Considering that about 80% of our population in now considered urban, there is still a potential market, but I've never been convinced that EVs were going to replace ICE vehicles across the board.

A bit of a tangent regarding demands on the grid, but I listened to an interesting article on the demands that AI will be placing on the grid and it will be significant. MIT projects that data centres will consume about 1/5th of all electricity in the US by 2028. Some data centre owners like Google are considering entering the energy production market.

We did the math on AI’s energy footprint. Here’s the story you haven’t heard.

The emissions from individual AI text, image, and video queries seem small—until you add up what the industry isn’t tracking and consider where it’s heading next.

www.technologyreview.com

Even with the incentives, I couldn't make the math make sense, unless you ignored the lifespan and replacement cost of the batteries. A lot of the batteries really aren't even designed to be recyclable as well, so they are cost prohibitive and risky to recover the various rare (and toxic) metals used for anodes and cathodes. Probalby a lot sitting in landfills, so maybe someone will eventually mine garbage to recover it.

The industry would have us believe that they are recyclable and, technically, they probably are, but it needs to have a business model. I have heard of one or two start-ups but I don't know how profitable it is.

 

[Altair]

Considering that about 80% of our population in now considered urban, there is still a potential market, but I've never been convinced that EVs were going to replace ICE vehicles across the board.

A bit of a tangent regarding demands on the grid, but I listened to an interesting article on the demands that AI will be placing on the grid and it will be significant. MIT projects that data centres will consume about 1/5th of all electricity in the US by 2028. Some data centre owners like Google are considering entering the energy production market.

We did the math on AI’s energy footprint. Here’s the story you haven’t heard.

The emissions from individual AI text, image, and video queries seem small—until you add up what the industry isn’t tracking and consider where it’s heading next.

www.technologyreview.com

The industry would have us believe that they are recyclable and, technically, they probably are, but it needs to have a business model. I have heard of one or two start-ups but I don't know how profitable it is.

I think like everything else, it depends on outside influences.

California has a mandate of 100 percent EV sales by 2035. That's a population and economy much larger than Canada.

Many EU countries, like UK (2035), France(2040), Germany (2035) have EV mandates. If most of the world switches to EVs, companies are not going to continue supplying Canada with ICE vehicles because we just are not that big a market.

That said, the foolish part was thinking that we could be the leading edge of this. The global vehicle market needs to force the change and we will be dragged along whether we like it or not. But if big markets like Europe and the USA don't make that change, we cannot force it on our own.

So might as well get ride of the mandate, or push it back to 2040-2045 when we know what the global trend will be, at which point it will largely be moot.

 

[dapaterson]

Absolutely not. The youth and the elderly need more controls when it comes to driving. I would up the driving age to 21 to be honest. As well our come from aways need more extensive training and probably a longer probationary/accompanied period.

On the subject of youth and bad driving:

Montreal driver fined $3,300, given 42 demerit points for speeding

The driver was going a whopping 250 km/h—some 180 km/h over the posted speed limit on the Decarie Expressway

driving.ca

 

[Altair]

On the subject of youth and bad driving:

Montreal driver fined $3,300, given 42 demerit points for speeding

The driver was going a whopping 250 km/h—some 180 km/h over the posted speed limit on the Decarie Expressway

driving.ca

On the flip side

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/sarnia-drive-test-centre-crash-1.7620207

Staff Sgt. Jim McCabe of the Sarnia Police Service said a driver, whom he described as an elderly woman, was attempting to park but her foot slipped off the brake onto the gas pedal "and unfortunately that vehicle accelerated into the building."

 

[Eaglelord17]

I do not like when they refer to electric vehicles as ‘zero emissions vehicles’. They are not. Everything has emissions. The only way to accurately study it is a cradle to grave analysis. The most recent one I saw basically put a electric car slightly better than a gas car over its lifespan and thats assuming you never replace the battery in the electric car over a 180,000 mile lifespan (which is the average life of a gas car).

They push it without having a honest conversation about it and declare it better based off a small time frame instead of its full lifespan.

 

[CBH99]

A.K.A "The Gypsy's Warning"



Finance Minister signals ‘tough choices’ to find savings in federal budget


Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne says the government will make tough choices in the upcoming federal budget, acknowledging that the planned spending cuts will lead to staffing adjustments in the public service.

Mr. Champagne, speaking to reporters Thursday ahead of a cabinet meeting in north Toronto, said ministers have submitted their plans to reduce program spending over the next three years.

“Will there be tough choices to make? Definitely. Is the nation ready? I would say yes. I mean Canadians have elected us to do things differently,” he said.

“We said we’re going to spend less so we can invest more. And you know, people understand that. My mother understands that.”

Mr. Champagne requested this summer that ministers submit plans by the end of August to reduce program spending by 7.5 per cent in the fiscal year that begins April 1, 2026, followed by 10 per cent in savings the next year, and 15 per cent in the 2028-29 fiscal year.

Asked if this had been done, he replied: “It was not an option.”

“There’s things that we can do more efficiently,” he added.

Prime Minister Mark Carney is huddled with his cabinet at a north Toronto hotel this week for two days of meetings focused on the state of the economy as well as Canada-U.S. relations, fast-tracking major infrastructure projects and crime.

The Finance Minister’s comments follow those of Mr. Carney, who on Wednesday said the federal government will present both an austerity and investment-focused budget this fall, as he criticized the sharp rise in spending under his predecessor’s watch.

Mr. Carney said the rate of federal government spending over the last decade is more than 7 per cent year over year, which is faster than the rate of growth of the economy.

Asked if there were any areas of government that would not be touched by cuts, Mr. Carney said on Wednesday that health care spending, education transfers and transfers to individuals would not be affected.

Mr. Champagne on Thursday would not outline any specific spending cuts but when asked about layoffs to the public service, he said there will be “adjustments.”

“We’ve been adding a lot of people over the last few years,” he said. “You’re looking at adjusting, but at the same time, the point is really about using technology, delivering better services, making sure that Canadians find value for money.”


Finance Minister signals ‘tough choices’ to find savings in federal budget

I'm possibly willing to change my mind on his first 6 months seeming fairly unimpressive IF he does what he says he will do...

To be fair, even if PP had been elected, not much of the real parliamentary work can be done while parliament is away for it's summer recess.



If Mr. Carney actually attempts to do the things he seems to be indicating, I'll feel relieved

 

[Halifax Tar]

Sweeping Carney announcement could include EV mandate review

CTV News has learned that Mark Carney and a group of ministers will make a broad series of 'sector-based' announcements Friday, aimed at increasing Canada’s competitiveness, supporting sectors impacted most by tariffs and spurring domestic industry.

www.ctvnews.ca

*Quoting your article, not you @Remius

Fantastic but I have a couple of questions/points:

(1) Are we now comfortable in admitting that the previous 10 years of LPC Gov was a a disaster ?

(2) Announcements are great, I want deliverables.

(3) If the LPC is just going to flip flop to which ever way the populace is leaning; and be principled on nothing can we now call them a populist party ?

This is amazing, they won for 10 years by pushing the NDP out and now they are reversing that play book at the CPC. The ability to go port 30 to starboard 30 is quite amazing.

I think this was inevitable; the dates were ambitious at best, but there was never any reinvestment in the (mostly privatized) power distribution grid to enable it, and EVs are realistically impractical to be wholesale adopted in a country the size of ours with the population density and distances between places we have.

Great for city runners though, and the new smart chargers that just got incorporated into the CEC that automatically down rate until the load on the panel drops off (ie at night) makes it actually practical for all the people that can't upgrade to 200 A panels even if they want to, just because the grids are tapped out.

I have 100A service at my house. I would honestly not be comfortable attaching a charging station and I am not interested in the added cost of upgrading my panel.

 

[Halifax Tar]

I think like everything else, it depends on outside influences.

California has a mandate of 100 percent EV sales by 2035. That's a population and economy much larger than Canada.

Many EU countries, like UK (2035), France(2040), Germany (2035) have EV mandates. If most of the world switches to EVs, companies are not going to continue supplying Canada with ICE vehicles because we just are not that big a market.

That said, the foolish part was thinking that we could be the leading edge of this. The global vehicle market needs to force the change and we will be dragged along whether we like it or not. But if big markets like Europe and the USA don't make that change, we cannot force it on our own.

So might as well get ride of the mandate, or push it back to 2040-2045 when we know what the global trend will be, at which point it will largely be moot.

We shouldn't be mandating anything. Let the market decide. If people want EVs the the auto sector will make them.

 

[Halifax Tar]

On the subject of youth and bad driving:

Montreal driver fined $3,300, given 42 demerit points for speeding

The driver was going a whopping 250 km/h—some 180 km/h over the posted speed limit on the Decarie Expressway

driving.ca

We have issues with stunting out here too. Take their car and license for 5 years.

Google Search

 

[Altair]

We shouldn't be mandating anything. Let the market decide. If people want EVs the the auto sector will make them.

We as in Canada or we as in globally?

In Canada, sure, get rid of it. It wont matter if the rest of the global economy decides to make the switch to making solely EVs between 2030-2040, we will be going along for the ride. Or if the global economy doesn't, then we wont either.

Globally? That ship has sailed, a lot of Europe and the biggest state in the USA has already committed to making the switch, if they keep their fingers on the scale, and others join them, it's a fait accompli.

 

[Halifax Tar]

We as in Canada or we as in globally?

In Canada, sure, get rid of it. It wont matter if the rest of the global economy decides to make the switch to making solely EVs between 2030-2040, we will be going along for the ride. Or if the global economy doesn't, then we wont either.

Globally? That ship has sailed, a lot of Europe and the biggest state in the USA has already committed to making the switch, if they keep their fingers on the scale, and others join them, it's a fait accompli.

North America.

 

[Altair]

North America.

Lets see... Even with Canada dropping it...

California, Colorado, Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Virginia, Vermont, Washington and Washington DC have adopted California's EV mandate.

Combined population of 115m give or take, which makes me wonder if that's enough to push the American auto market to mostly EVs.

I guess we will know in 15 years.

 

[Halifax Tar]

Lets see... Even with Canada dropping it...

California, Colorado, Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Virginia, Vermont, Washington and Washington DC have adopted California's EV mandate.

Combined population of 125m give or take, which makes me wonder if that's enough to push the American auto market to mostly EVs.

I guess we will know in 15 years.

I know you tend to look for confrontation on these means but you haven't found it here.

You realize I'm not ant-ev right ? I am not sure its the right choice to replace my F150, yet. But I am confident that in the future I will be driving an EV. I just want it to be by my choice.

 

[Altair]

I know you tend to look for confrontation on these means but you haven't found it here.

You realize I'm not ant-ev right ? I am not sure its the right choice to replace my F150, yet. But I am confident that in the future I will be driving an EV. I just want it to be by my choice.

I really don't tend to look for confrontation.

I don't care much one way or another about EV mandates in Canada. Canada isn't going to be the deciding factor here. If China, Europe, a good chunk or all of the USA goes EV, what are we going to do about it? Create a indigenous auto manufacturer to build ICE vehicles for the Canadian market? And if the USA in particular doesn't go EV, what were we to do? Force EVs through despite the big automakers not doing it?

I think Canada is awesome, and I think we punch above our weight in a lot of aspects, but I don't think we move the needle that much in terms of large global industrial models. The future of EVs and ICE in Canada will be decided in the USA and what they end up doing. Choice has little to do with it.

Case in point, I liked the ford fusion. Ford doesn't make it anymore. Thus I no longer have the option to buy new ones. Eventually, there will be no more ford fusions at all. I have no choice in the matter. Same thing applies to ICE or EVs.

 

[Remius]

*Quoting your article, not you @Remius

Fantastic but I have a couple of questions/points:

(1) Are we now comfortable in admitting that the previous 10 years of LPC Gov was a a disaster ?

That a lot of it was a disaster? Sure. A majority of Canadians have voted against that party for several cycles so that isn’t necessarily new. But I would argue the opposition was a larger disaster in that they couldn’t quite give Canadians the alternative they wanted. It seems Carney has delivered that alternative for now. People would also have to be comfortable with the fact that this is in fact not the same old LPC.

(2) Announcements are great, I want deliverables.

See above. Agreed. Once we see deliverables we’ll know or not. So far I like what I see.

(3) If the LPC is just going to flip flop to which ever way the populace is leaning; and be principled on nothing can we now call them a populist party ?

Not quite. That isn’t what populism is.

This is amazing, they won for 10 years by pushing the NDP out and now they are reversing that play book at the CPC. The ability to go port 30 to starboard 30 is quite amazing.

Correct. But it’s more than just a play book change. Carney it seems delivered what is essentially a centrist position. A progressive conservative/blue grit option that was missing. It is the closest thing to what the CFP had on offer.

I have 100A service at my house. I would honestly not be comfortable attaching a charging station and I am not interested in the added cost of upgrading my panel.

A lot of new home builds have been offering that option for a while. In 2018 my wife and I declined it. A few homes on our street did add it. I’m not sold on an EV at this time but our next vehicle may very well be a hybrid depending on a few factors.

 

[suffolkowner]

Seems hard to believe that the North American auto industry cant make PHEVs with an 80km range, when im pretty sure they all offer better than that already in their lineup. And they have 10 yrs to do so for passenger vehicles

I think like everything else, it depends on outside influences.

California has a mandate of 100 percent EV sales by 2035. That's a population and economy much larger than Canada.

Many EU countries, like UK (2035), France(2040), Germany (2035) have EV mandates. If most of the world switches to EVs, companies are not going to continue supplying Canada with ICE vehicles because we just are not that big a market.

That said, the foolish part was thinking that we could be the leading edge of this. The global vehicle market needs to force the change and we will be dragged along whether we like it or not. But if big markets like Europe and the USA don't make that change, we cannot force it on our own.

So might as well get ride of the mandate, or push it back to 2040-2045 when we know what the global trend will be, at which point it will largely be moot.

seems like from your post were not the leading edge at all just following the crowd and mandating something that every manufacturer already offers and exceeds right now

 

[Halifax Tar]

A lot of new home builds have been offering that option for a while. In 2018 my wife and I declined it. A few homes on our street did add it. I’m not sold on an EV at this time but our next vehicle may very well be a hybrid depending on a few factors.

My home isn't new. Built sometime in the late 40s or early 50s. And we've had to pull and replace aluminum wiring that we've found in the walls.

I'm sketchy about putting too much pressure on my electrical system.

I am defiantly interested in an EV truck, but I need it to be able to do truck things as good or better than a V8 or diesel first. But if I was a 100% urban hockey dad, with a diff house, I would have a Ford Lightening.

 

[Remius]

My home isn't new. Built sometime in the late 40s or early 50s. And we've had to pull and replace aluminum wiring that we've found in the walls.

I'm sketchy about putting too much pressure on my electrical system.

You should be. You would likely have to redo your whole electrical system. Part of the upsell they tried with us was to get the charging station but also pay to upgrade our electrical even more than it was.

I am defiantly interested in an EV truck, but I need it to be able to do truck things as good or better than a V8 or diesel first. But if I was a 100% urban hockey dad, with a diff house, I would have a Ford Lightening.

As you mentioned, supply and demand. For me it is about convenience. I don’t want to fight for a charging station or have to wait for a charge or have my travel route dictated by available charge stations. Hybrid for me is a good compromise. My friend has a hybrid CRV and loves it.

 

[Furniture]

I think a lot of the EV talk ignores the reality that manufacturers are discovering there isn't really enough cost savings in scaling up production to make them affordable, meaning customers aren't interested in EVs without massive subsidies.

PHEVs start at $50K CAD, if you can actually find one... Most Canadians can't realistically afford a car costing $800-1000 a month. Particularly the people who need a car to get them back and forth to work each day, because most towns and cities have terrible public transit.

EV mandates make good headlines, but terrible policy.

 

[Halifax Tar]

You should be. You would likely have to redo your whole electrical system. Part of the upsell they tried with us was to get the charging station but also pay to upgrade our electrical even more than it was.

Ya, I am going to leave that for the next owner. In all honesty, I imagine my house will eventually get bought by a developer and demolished for condos/apartments.

As you mentioned, supply and demand. For me it is about convenience. I don’t want to fight for a charging station or have to wait for a charge or have my travel route dictated by available charge stations. Hybrid for me is a good compromise. My friend has a hybrid CRV and loves it.

I like the idea of the F150 Power Boost. But its out of my price point.