Cars & Commies

Want a Canadian-made EV?

Then wear something sporty as you slip behind the wheel of the Dodge Charger Daytona. This electric muscle car is turned out by the Stellantis gang in Windsor and retails for about $55,000, plus another three grand for delivery. The kick-ass version (Scat Pack) sells for $87,000.

By the way, that Scat thing can hit 60 MPH in three seconds, and has a range of under 400 km. Just what you need to get back to the office.

Compare that to the largest EV company in the world. That’s BYD (it stands for ‘build your dream’.) Yes, it’s Chinese. The outfit now sells globally (and accounts for 80% of car sales in Brazil, for example). China has over 100 EV-building firms – and some of them are coming to Canada.

BYD’s popular Atto 3 model sells for roughly $26,000 US (about $36,000 C$) and has an average range of 500 km. But you don’t need badass clothes to go with its torque – this car takes almost 8 seconds to hit 100 km/hour (or 62 MPH).

Well, if you want one right now, fuhgeddaboudit. The Trudeau Libs imposed a withering 100% tariff on Chinese EVs after the US administration declared war on them in order to build up its own domestic electrified car business.

That was then. This is now. Trump doesn’t care about EVs, despite Elon. And meanwhile Canada is trying to put lots of daylight between us and an unpredictable American empire. So we will let the Chinese vehicles roll in here with a modest 6% levy as part of the deal our progressive conservative prime minister has just done with Beijing.

Speaking of Xi, the Communist Party and 1.4 billion in the world’s second-biggest economy, some Americans are unhappy with Ottawa. “Our treatment of Canada has forced that country into the arms of China,” a prominent New York Times opinion writer said days ago. “Too bad.”

Well, what exactly has happened?

We did a deal. “Well done, PM Carney and Co,” says Scotiabank’s chief economist, Derek Holt. “to reset the approach of the past 10+ years that subjugated bilateral commerce to virtue-signalling and often hypocritical finger wagging. Commerce is in charge now. US protectionism was one of the motivators and the pivot toward China is happening across much of the world as a direct consequence that I’ve flagged dating back to Trump 1.0. If a main goal of US isolationism was to thwart China’s ambitions, then it’s failing.”

Exactly. This is good for Canada, from the farmers in Saskatchewan to the lobster guys in NS and, ultimately, the car business in Ontario (not to mention people wanting a cheap, reliable EV that doesn’t attract cops).

The withering Chinese combined tariff of 85% on our canola crops and products will be gone. Ditto for the levies on lobsters, crabs and other foods. Visa requirements are being dropped for Canadian visitors. And we will allow 49,000 EVs a year into Canada at a hugely reduced rate, rising to 70,000 units within five years. The Chinese have also agreed to invest in auto manufacturing in Canada, creating jobs and vehicles here just as the US car giants are being boomeranged back to America by that crazy president.

But will affordable BYDs not further gut the Canadian industry?

Carney gambles that they won’t. This flow of Chinese vehicles will amount to less than 3% of new car sales in Canada. Besides, 90% of the vehicle production that currently takes place here flows to the US market – where the effective Chinese ban remains.

“Canada has no choice but to broaden its relations as the US retreats from its trusted economic partners in an increasingly protectionist and isolationist fashion,” adds Scotia’s Holt. “China’s long-run growth potential cannot be ignored to satisfy an isolationist US regime.”

Face it. America is pooching itself these days. The latest insanity is Trump’s note to the president of Finland saying one reason he wants Greenland is to punish Scandanavian countries for voting against him in the Nobel Peace Prize contest.

Yes, that petty. That vindictive. That small. That willing to upend an essential, historic defence alliance like NATO – in the face of Russian aggression and war – in retribution for his own perceived personal snubbing. Canada can’t carry on with its star hitched to this runaway wagon. Carney can’t do deals around the globe fast enough. Even with the Commies.

“We take the world as it is – not as we wish it to be,” he said.

Welcome to adulthood, kids.

About the picture: “Here’s a pic of 10 month old Zoey,” writes Erin. “She’s a spicy little bottle of Heeler hot sauce.  Smart, loyal and works hard.  I appreciate the blog daily.  Thank you!”

To be in touch or send a picture of your beast, email to ‘garth@garth.ca”.

Source: https://www.greaterfool.ca/2026/01/19/cars-commies/