Charter for Chump Change...as far as I'm concerned

Taxpayers suffer another setback from the provincial Liberals

Local CBC reporter Genevieve Tomney has a great piece on the Liberal's broken promise to offer "provincial sales tax rebates to NBers who purchase alternative fuel vehicles." A promise which was made almost two years ago when the Liberals rolled out their much lauded Charter for Change platform in 2006. (see 18:28 mark of CBC New Brunswick @ Six)

It's quite comical because for over a year now I have been bugging (and practically harassing) anybody who will listen about the Liberal's lack of a comprehensive green strategy and how it's just a bunch of ministers driving around (or being chauffeured) in their hybrid vehicles which happen to be upgraded to the tune of $7000 a piece thanks, in most part, to hardworking New Brunswick taxpayers.

Actually, to add insult to injury, it turns out that not all ministers are driving fuel efficient vehicles. So they haven't even done that right.

Anyway, I don't know what else to say other than this is typical behaviour coming from a unilateral government whose policies only seem to benefit them and not regular NBers. Talk about elitist! As for their "Charter for Change"? It's turning out to be more like "Charter for absolutely no change" these days, unless you're a Liberal minister looking to drive your subsidized hybrid to the Royal Oak Club for a couple rounds of subsidized golf. Other then that, you're sh&t out of luck.

Update: I noticed Finance Minister Victor Boudreau was interview and he said the reason they haven't gotten around to the 'sales tax rebates' for energy efficient vehicles was because they're still only 20 months into their mandate. A bit of a lame excuse (because that's almost two yrs.), but let's give him the benefit of the doubt on this one for a change. However, where I won't cut him and his cabinet some slack is in regards to the entire cabinet's first year promise to drive fuel efficient vehicles as a way to set an example for the rest of the province. It was a small promise, but a promise just the same.

As it stands right now, according to Tomney, only 11 Ministers (and deputy ministers) are currently fulfilling that promise. And as far as I know, there are 20 ministers in the cabinet and 42 deputy ministers (I believe I am low-balling the deputies). Anyway, if you add those two up, it comes to approximately 62 ministers and deputy ministers. So at the rate they're going, only 18 per cent of them are fulfilling that simple first year promise to drive fuel efficient hybrid vehicles. Makes you wonder about the capabilities of this bunch, doesn't it?

Hat tip anon in the comments section.