The Government of Manitoba Defies Conventional Wisdom - Increases Highway Speed Limit. Climate Change? Who Cares? (Editorial)

by Larry Powell
In an age when the ravages of climate change are making themselves increasingly evident, the Government of Manitoba has raised the speed limit on most of the Trans Canada west of Winnipeg, to 110 KPH. 

Have the poor souls flunked out of "Climate Change 101?" If they hadn't, they would surely know that higher speeds will only result in more fuel consumption, something an enlightened government should be trying to avoid. (Every 9th grader now knows, or sure as Hell should, that our now out-of-control burning of fossil fuel is what is driving the climate crisis we are now all faced with.)

On its website, Natural Resources Canada has a simple warning: "Avoid high speeds. Most cars, vans, SUVs and pick-up trucks operate most fuel efficiently when travelling between 50 and 80 km/h. Above this optimal speed zone, vehicles consume increasingly more fuel the faster they go." 

Obviously the expediting of human traffic and cargo is more important to this government than the catastrophic climate change now facing present and future generations. Could it be that Greg Selinger and his crew are actually trying to "Out-Harper" the Harperites in their appalling environmental illiteracy?

Comments

John Fefchak said…
What Happened?….. a 25% increase…. It wasn't all that long ago, maybe 30 years, that Canada pretty well had a regulated speed limit of 55MPH.
Now we are at over 68 MPH (110 kph) and many will be pushing into the range of 120 kph and more.
The lowered limit in 1982/1983 was to economize on fuel, and for travel safety. It took a wee bit longer to arrive at the destination, but at least your arrival was not in an ambulance or a hearse.
But I suppose we have to keep up with the Joneses. ….why?

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