Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty was in our region earlier this week to announce a 650 million dollar Green Automotive initiative. It's no accident that he did so in Oshawa where lots of cars and trucks and things that go are turned off assembly lines. There will be incentives for auto-makers to produce fuel efficient vehicles.
I'm glad that this will probably mean more jobs and job security for lots of folk in this area, including members of our congregation. At the same time this seems like a safe and savvy choice for the government which is aiming to be re-elected in October.
Why do the big auto companies need help to sell what the customers want? Other manufacturers in this province are profitable because they offered more fuel-efficient vehicles while the former Big Three have stuck with the dinosaurs. Fifteen years ago GM and other companies developed electric cars in California, only to shelve them (crush them actually) when the state government relented on requirements to produce environmentally friendlier vehicles.
Perhaps the funds announced this week would be better spent as seed money for smaller companies which are working toward the "outside the box" concepts some of the big companies are reluctant to develop.
WWJD -- What Would Jesus Drive?
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