Canada Carbon Tax ... No Solution!!!???

The Advisory Committee on global Warming has suggested that Canada immediately adopt a carbon tax applied across the board on all emissions.

What can this possibly achieve except to impoverish the already poor, increase the wealth of government still more and to make petroleum and coal even deeper entrenched as current commodities. We already have a de facto carbon tax, with over 30% ballooning tax on gasoline and the government wastes it by encouraging and subsidizing more hydrocarbon development. This tax swells like a tidal wave every time gas prices climb on the stock exchange. The government will never get rid of gasoline and oil dependency as long as they are sucking on this treasure hose. Increasing the diameter of the hose isn't going to make a bit of difference on carbon levels.

A windfall of $16 billion treasury surplus last year could have paid for all the medicare in Canada, ended poverty in children and with the highest priority, launched renewable energy projects galore along with hydrogen fuel cell pumps at every PetroCan gas station along the Trans Canada Highway. Showing its warped irrelavent values, the government chose to blow it on paying the interest on debts originating from bad fiscal management years ago instead of our spiralling debt to nature. Fantastic opportunities squandered!

What is needed are enforceable laws that force changes (like no more gas powered vehicles manufactured to take effect in 2008 Jan 1st) and a government that leads the way in implementing infrastructure changes. This is not happening with resources already available and a carbon tax will not make it happen because the political Will is clearly lacking in Ottawa. Ottawa is clamped onto the golden oil boob tighter than a baby wallaby on its mom and will never grow up until we the taxpayers use tough love and wean them by firing them at the polls.

I voted Progressive Conservative last time because I thought this government would champion the environment but will not next time because they have failed to demonstrate responsible and effective action. The PC rejection of Kyoto is unforgivable and criminal.

Jormawankenobe
Copyright 2008 Jorma Jyrkkanen
Environmental Biologist