Published in the Toronto Sun, 29 May 2023
Re: “Trudeau swerves again” (Brian Lilley, Toronto Sun, 27 May): Once again, the deal with Stellantis proves that the “green industry” runs on subsidies, not a viable, profit-oriented business model. In one sense, I can’t blame any business from trying to get what they can from governments, even if I disagree with corporate-welfare. That said, if E/V battery production really was a profitable venture, Stellantis would go ahead with building this factory, so they can start making money, and worry about squeezing subsidies or tax breaks out of the government on the back end.
I know that Unifor members may not like to hear this, but these subsidies aren’t creating jobs. The Canadian taxpayers are effectively funding a make-work project.
The only way I would support subsidies going to private industry, is if governments took an ownership stake in the business, but governments frequently seem to screw that up too by funding unprofitable businesses or selling their stake at a loss, or both.
(It’s one of the challenges with governments, picking winners and losers. If you’re in private industry and governments are willing to shovel taxpayers’ money out the door at you, why wouldn’t you take it?)
