The particulars of Stéphane Dion's carbon tax plan are beyond the scope of this short comment.I agree with your reasons behind the slap at Jack Layton. He is doing Canadians a disservice by condemning carbon taxes out of hand, but I really, really want a knowledgeable left-wing analysis of the Liberal proposal. It is what is on the table and while I am sure the Star has no problem printing a condemnation of Layton's attack on it, I would be more interested in getting your take on it. As it is, the article makes it look like you are tossing in your chips with the NDP and encouraging others to abandon them for the toxic embrace of the Liberal Party. If by any, tiny, chance You see this, send me an email. I would be glad to put up any essay you care to write about Stephane Dion's plan. Don't leave us all thinking that the Liberals have suddenly found virtue. That is just too laughable a conclusion to believe. Recommend this Post
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
Hang On, Just One Second
I read Lynn McDonald's condemnation of Jack Layton's stand on carbon taxes and I agree with her critique. Can you sense a but? But, I think she totally cops out with this sentence:
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I have also been struggling a little bit on whether the NDP's opposition to the Liberal plan is a good position. But, overall I think its a decent stand to take.
ReplyDeleteSince most of our CO2 emissions does come from the oilsands and coal power plants. More action under a cap and trade system as well as additional industry carbon taxes would yield more policy success than a modest consumer carbon tax.
The concerns over whether this will hit low-income earners more, is a important one I think as well.
Also, there are other policy instruments to implement on the consumer side as well, such as higher enery effiency requirements and policies that allow sustainable energy to compete with hydrocarbons.
Sheer market forces and economics such as the actual high price of oil, may also have a much bigger impact than a carbon tax itself. Already, sales of SUVs and trucks have plummeted this year without any caron tax.
Lynn will be lobbying hard for the carbon tax. She believes that we need this tax to move further in order to achieve the 50 per cent target set by the IGC in 2050 or the goal set by Monbiot. Her organization is linked below
ReplyDeletehttp://www.justearth.net/carbontax/rationale.aspx