Edmonton bought dozens of Proterra electric buses, paid in full, then faced supplier bankruptcy and an unsecured claim. Calgary committed hundreds of millions more via federal grants and CIB financing. Money moved; accountability did not.
“What remains is the unresolved question that refuses to go away: who, exactly, can challenge a catastrophic public decision when everyone involved is said to have followed the rules?”
Outstanding breakdown of how climate urgency functionsas a shield against basic due diligence. The Calgary-after-Edmonton sequence is the most damning part because it proves this isn't about information gaps, it's about incentive structures that reward adoption regardless of outcome. My brother works in municipal procurement and says the phrase 'federal money' literally ends risk discussions in meetings. That shift from stewardship to subsidy maximization explains why half a billion evaporates with zero consequences.
In other parts of Canada, too, municipal governments like to trumpet grants from the Province or the Federal Government as somehow "free" as if their taxpayers were not also funding these grants. It is all scarcely credible.
Of course this is the Canadian way. Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal - similar projects, similar outcomes, no accountability. Indeed, in Ottawa, the former mayor, Jim Watson, who forced through the vastly expensive and underperforming LRT system, not only paid no price for his incompetence, if not corruption, but was recently awarded the so-called "Order of Ottawa," an award he himself was involved with creating, by current mayor Mark Sutcliffe.
I remember the train fiasco, but didn't know the award part. That is disgustingly bad. Some Toronto progressive outfit named Gondek best mayor the year before she got kicked out.
As a resident of Calgary I just had the extreme DISpleasure to see our sniveling, whimpering city council refuse to hold to account a specific swivel servant for the CHOICE to not adequately inspect and maintain our waterline.
The point is that even when the particular individual is still around, the politicians don't have the courage to do what is right.
I read the background on Proterra just before reading your post. I was already vomiting at how a company that produced very little before needing to replace/upgrade their products, could be sold off for millions to numerous other companies. Then I read your post. I guess I shouldn't be stunned but I am. It doesn't matter where we Canadians look, our hard earned money is pissed away into non-deserving people's hands.
“What remains is the unresolved question that refuses to go away: who, exactly, can challenge a catastrophic public decision when everyone involved is said to have followed the rules?”
Who, indeed?
This is brilliant Canadian journalism.
Bravo.
Thank you.
Outstanding breakdown of how climate urgency functionsas a shield against basic due diligence. The Calgary-after-Edmonton sequence is the most damning part because it proves this isn't about information gaps, it's about incentive structures that reward adoption regardless of outcome. My brother works in municipal procurement and says the phrase 'federal money' literally ends risk discussions in meetings. That shift from stewardship to subsidy maximization explains why half a billion evaporates with zero consequences.
In other parts of Canada, too, municipal governments like to trumpet grants from the Province or the Federal Government as somehow "free" as if their taxpayers were not also funding these grants. It is all scarcely credible.
Of course this is the Canadian way. Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal - similar projects, similar outcomes, no accountability. Indeed, in Ottawa, the former mayor, Jim Watson, who forced through the vastly expensive and underperforming LRT system, not only paid no price for his incompetence, if not corruption, but was recently awarded the so-called "Order of Ottawa," an award he himself was involved with creating, by current mayor Mark Sutcliffe.
I remember the train fiasco, but didn't know the award part. That is disgustingly bad. Some Toronto progressive outfit named Gondek best mayor the year before she got kicked out.
Very well done, Sir!
As a resident of Calgary I just had the extreme DISpleasure to see our sniveling, whimpering city council refuse to hold to account a specific swivel servant for the CHOICE to not adequately inspect and maintain our waterline.
The point is that even when the particular individual is still around, the politicians don't have the courage to do what is right.
I read the background on Proterra just before reading your post. I was already vomiting at how a company that produced very little before needing to replace/upgrade their products, could be sold off for millions to numerous other companies. Then I read your post. I guess I shouldn't be stunned but I am. It doesn't matter where we Canadians look, our hard earned money is pissed away into non-deserving people's hands.
Bravo! Superb article.