Mystifying math

Dear Editor:

Last week I listened to Catherine McKenna, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, as she spoke about the “carbon tax” and how it will gloriously help us all to live more economically, save money and perpetuate our own lives.

Well, I took mathematics in high school, when you had to learn to add, multiply, divide and subtract or you flunked. 

McKenna told us to find alternative sources for energy that were cheaper and we should consider purchasing a vehicle that does not use carbon fuels. 

Three things: The most economical method for heating my house per BTU is oil. You see, there is no natural gas down here in Crieff. I buy five tanks of oil per year at an average of 800 litres per delivery. You do the math, with the five-cents-per-litre increase announced last week. 

Secondly, McKenna suggested I go out and buy a hybrid or electrical vehicle to fight pollution. She also insanely suggested that I take public transit to stop pollution. Not really feasible in the metropolis of Crieff. 

So, to summarize, my increased fuel costs, with car gas, will be about $470/yr. A new hybrid or electrical vehicle will be about $40,000. with taxes. I truly wonder if our minster passed high school math. 

Jim McClure,

Crieff