Since 1999, certain areas of Ontario have been affected by mandatory emissions testing for passenger vehicles, trucks and buses. The program is called “Drive Clean” (which has always bothered me, seeing as it should be “drive cleanly” to be less grammatically atrocious). It requires those of us whose vehicles are registered in the program areas to have an e-test every two years for vehicles older than two years (unless you’re driving a really old clunker, in which case you get an exception).
Now, Drive Clean rankled a bit with me. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all over emissions tests, I don’t even object to a logo that puts an angelic halo over a vehicle that is still a passenger vehicle and not public transport. I just always had this sneaking suspicion that the standards were too easily circumvented – I did have a mechanic explain to me just what he had to do to get my car through without any problems (do it as part of regular tune-up – right after replacing the oil and relevant gaskets. Then, drive the car so the engine is good and warm, and take it to the place where he knows somebody and thus there is no waiting and the car gets tested while running in the good and warm and thus lower emissions stage).
But what rankles more is this week. On Tuesday, I find out that Drive Clean has been cancelled. The quote from Tuesday's media was pretty indicative. Ontario’s environment minister says Drive Clean will be phased out. Not all that an ambiguous statement, is it? Some of the radio broadcasts I heard said things along the lines of, it has served its purpose. That has me confused already – it has? I’m not aware that air quality is any better than it was five years ago. Yes, perhaps emissions standards on new automobiles are more stringent, but does Drive Clean take credit for that? And lots of cars on the roads are older than five years, if the program was successful in removing the polluters, wouldn’t we continue it? I don’t understand – does this mean that the program didn’t work? Because if it did, why would we stop? Is this a cost-cutting measure?
Of course, Dalton McGuinty lost my respect a while ago. So, really, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Wednesday’s media says, that’s speculation. Right… it wasn’t one of his own caucus members that made that announcement? I am so confused.
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I've spent some of my free time planning some trips for the upcoming paddling season. I'm trying very hard not to get particularly excited about any of them - in the last few months, I've been jinxed as far as getting out on any sort of trip is concerned. I think an attitude of pleasant surprise when something works for me is a much better approach given the nature of my life of late. Nothing is going to happen until it actually happens.
But ooooh, I'm fevering toward warmer weather, and for the mud to dry up, and to not have to put on a coat when I leave the room that is my entire home. It's cabin fever all right.
A cabin, of course, would cure what ails me right now. Preferably one in some pretty woods, with birds chirping and maybe somebody getting me to help with maple syrup making, and a wood stove and all that. Nice little naive pastoral image, but whatever gets you through the day...
Posted by Johanna at March 25, 2004 10:54 AM