Worshipping electrification

Re: “Setting electric car sales quotas is bad policy,” (Opinion, July 25)

“Come all ye faithful and let us pray: Electrification, electrification, electrification,” as we are exhorted by the priesthood (a.k.a. politicians) to do our duty for the church of blind environmental dogma, and achieve our ultimate salvation.

Subsidies for millionaires purchasing Teslas (their third or fourth car) have not yielded the government’s artificially determined number of electric vehicles on the road.

Those whose single car must be as multi-functional as a Swiss army knife, and who cannot afford to placate the powers above, will be punished with an increasing tax for not obeying the 11th commandment: “Thou shalt drive an electric car.”

The commentary by Germain Belzile of the Montreal Economic Institute on an escalating tax on gas-powered cars fails to mention that policy has nothing to do with sound fiscal management but with religious dogma.

Before we act like lemmings and go over the edge with squandered billions, a full and honest study must be done.

It must encompass the entire manufacturing process, raw material and infrastructure requirements. It must certainly include the multiple battery packs (and their disposal) that would be required over the life of the vehicle and consider the charging infrastructure needed.

If our priests had any integrity, they would tell us how the shortfall in revenues, from not collecting taxes added to a litre of gas, will be made up and who will pay them.

The folly of forcing people to buy electric cars will never be admitted to, but the people will pay the price, not the politicians who enacted the policy. For that, our priests and politicians will say “amen.”

Mark Lipson, N.D.G.