Climate Change: June 2008 Archives

The NDP here in BC are being totally pathetic, siding with the auto addicts who are seeing the cost of their fix rising and then a tiny additional price rise from the government apparently pushes them over the edge.

And then you have ridiculous (and revealing) pieces like this:

Rising gas prices and shrinking wallets could lead to broken hearts
The Canadian Press, OTTAWA - 1 hour ago
High gas prices are taking an emotional toll on these couples who are already working hard to keep the spark alive, says Marilyn Belleghem, a registered ...

So high gas prices threaten relationships - or do they truly just expose addiction?

Then a survey from Atlantic Canada reveals even more crazily addicted people saying that gas prices beat all other issues....

Original here

Atlantic Canadians are currently more worried about the cost of gasoline than any other issue, a new poll has found.

Corporate Research Associates said escalating fuel prices have translated into a sharp increase in anxiety about the cost of gas.

About 20 per cent of 1,507 adults surveyed in the four Atlantic provinces picked gas prices as the most important issue facing the region.

Halifax-based CRA conducted the poll between May 7 and June 1. Its results are considered accurate within 2.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

Gas prices had ranked third in a similar poll conducted in February.

The latest poll found that concerns about unemployment, which had been the top-ranked issue in the previous survey, fell -- with 26 per cent of respondents citing it as the key issue in the winter, compared to 18 per cent this spring.

Health care also fell, from 20 per cent this winter to 11 per cent this spring.

CRA president Don Mills said worries about gas prices are affecting consumer behaviour.

"Discretionary spending, such as leisure activities and vacation travel, has likely been impacted by high gas prices already and will be even more impacted in the coming months," Mills said in a statement.

The price of gas was the top issue identified by survey respondents in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. In Newfoundland and Labrador, though, respondents selected unemployment as the most important issue.

In progress - Stephen

So a truck plant is closing because thankfully people aren't buying macho trucks.

GM and the CAW both whine about the loss of jobs.

Can neither see the opportunity?

The hundreds of coaches needed as we stop flying.

The electric scooters, the tiny cars so popular in Europe, but not available in Canada.

The railcars needed as we return to passenger rail.

The home generators required as we leave a one way electrical grid and produce heat and power on site.

Hasn't anyone heard the phrase 'transferable skills'?

And then GM says it will produce 'hybrid' vehicles at the plant...

and the losers with the CAW say

"We're going to continue to press General Motors to keep the best truck plant in the industry open and we're going to continue our fight," he said.


CAW Local 222 President Chris Buckley speaks during a press conference in Toronto on Tuesday, April 29, 2008.

CAW Local 222 President Chris Buckley speaks during a press conference in Toronto

Hybrid trucks to be built in Oshawa, CAW says

Updated Sat. Jun. 21 2008 1:57 PM ET

ctvtoronto.ca

The Canadian Auto Workers union says General Motors has reversed its decision not to build any hybrid pickups in Oshawa, Ont., and will start assembling a hybrid truck this fall.

The company made the decision despite plans to close the truck plant there next year, CAW local 222 president Chris Buckley told CTV Newsnet on Saturday.

"It's a small win," Buckley said. "We need to take some larger steps to secure the jobs of our 2,600 members that will be affected (by the closure)."

The decision came out of a meeting between CAW officials and GM management on Friday, but the company has not commented on the reversal and the reasons for it.

Buckley said adding the hybrid at the truck plant shows "a glimmer of hope" that the plant can remain open, especially if hybrid truck sales take off.

Earlier this month, GM announced it was closing the Oshawa truck plant because of slumping demand for large vehicles. The plant employs 2,600 workers.

The decision was announced just two weeks after GM reached a tentative agreement with the union,  promising to continue production at the plant through 2011.

The CAW is considering taking its dispute with GM to the Ontario Labour Relations Board.

Angry GM workers have demonstrated against the closure since it was announced. Earlier this week, an injunction forced them to end a 12-day blockade at GM's head office in Oshawa.

Buckley said union officials will be meeting with GM officials next week to look at what new product can be brought to Oshawa.

"We're going to continue to press General Motors to keep the best truck plant in the industry open and we're going to continue our fight," he said.