Memo to Jamie Ballem

I still have regrets from the two years that I drove a Ford Exporer. As SUVs go it’s a good one but it wore on me while I drove it and I’m down-right ashamed today.

Thanks to Bob & Nettie at their former establishment (they’ve retired from the bus.) I now have a 55mpg vehicle.

In defense of Mr. Ballem; in many parts of his world a “honkin’ ” :) SUV makes sense.

…hunkered down in San Carlos…

But you have no regrets about the summer fun van, Kevo? Dan ever tell you that we did the 90 miles of the Airline to Bangor in 80 minutes? I am sure that drive created half a tonne of CO2 alone.

hey I know for a fact our fair Jamie does a lot of “carpooling” if you will. He is a great taxi himself. Living outside of town and all.

And it’s hard to give up those gas guzzling rides. My car is probably just as damaging to the environment as his SUV, but I can’t bring myself to get rid of it. I know, I’m really a horrible person.

If he does take a cab to avoid the broadcasting of bad symbolism, then I think he’s entitled to bill the tax payers for it, because in that instance he’s not just commuting but making a statement as environment minister. Wealthy governments have presidential limousines and helicopters and jets (e.g. Air Force 1) at public expense. If PEI’s government were more flush, I think it would be totally appropriate to have a ministerial Prius and perhaps a ministerial hybrid SUV for snow days.

An SUV on snow days is one thing.. and perhaps some MLA’s need these to get to their homes, say at the end of a really crappy clay road… but town driving, or even just driving into town.. the Soccormom Assalt Vehicle is not needed… How man Yukons, Expeditions, and Hummers do we see driving around Charlottetown?? For a little city that can’t afford a transit system, far too many… if the people who owned these vehicles and living in Charlottetown were to sell them, and get a smaller car… say, a Kia, or one of them snazzy new Corollas.. not only do they cost less to buy, but less to run as well… then maybe these people could take the money they save from not buying the SUV, and donate it to the city, so those of us not of the driving population can ride in style too…

My opinion of Jamie just dropped a few points. It’ll go back up when an Island-wide transit system is introduced, along with pothole free roads, paid for by GPS monitoring of car mileage, just to make things fair for Islanders and visitors alike.

Since most of our provincial representatives are farmers I’ll assume the Honourable Mr. Ballem is, and that trucks are in his blood. Big trucks are symbols of power, and who more likely to be driving them than the our very own ruling class whose image as powerful is key to their success. For the few points lost to them by people like me who dislike such displays of power they are styling in most quarters of this conventional, conservative island where industrial farmers are king and big trucks are the chariots.

It would be political suicide to drive a small foreign car in a fruity pastel colour. We elect big boys with big trucks.

Folks the SUV is a 1.2 ton truck….The new hybrid 1/2 ton put out by Chev..