No Carbon Tax!

January 9th, 2008

The last thing Canadians need is a new tax. Nor does Canada need a new tax in order to stem global warming.

A report released this week by the National Roundtable on the Environment and the Economy (NRTEE) suggested that a new carbon tax was necessary to reduce Canada’s carbon emissions.

It’s perhaps understandable if the NRTEE determined a carbon tax was needed because it had to base its projections upon the abysmal environmental track record of previous Liberal governments. After all, no federal government had ever done anything more than talk a good game about climate change … until now.

There are many options that don’t include another new tax. Among other aggressive measures, our Conservative Government is the first government in history to require mandatory reductions in air emissions from industry. We formally advised industry last month of new requirements to submit their emissions data within the next six months.

As often happens with headline news stories, “the carbon tax” recommendation overshadowed a multitude of other points made in the NRTEE report. For example, the NRTEE also pointed out that unless countries like China, India, the United States, Brazil and Russia make medium to long-term commitments towards reducing their emissions, Canada risks putting its economy in jeopardy.

That is not to say that Canada shouldn’t proceed ‘full steam ahead’ with everything it can do to reduce our emissions – and certainly we are with a 20% ABSOLUTE reduction in green house gases by 2020 BY LAW and air pollution that will be cut IN HALF by 2015 BY LAW. However, we will NOT devastate Canada’s economy and put our small businesses and industry at an insurmountable competitive disadvantage in international markets. As the NRTEE report confirms, a carbon tax would certainly do that.

The federal Liberals are receptive to a carbon tax and the Green Party certainly supports it. It’s been estimated that a carbon tax sufficient enough to actually reduce emissions could cost up to an additional $1 per litre. If you think the price of gas is high right now, imagine it with a carbon tax!

A carbon tax will make everything you buy and everything you do considerably more expensive, from food to toilet paper to kids’ activities.

Already, our industries and businesses are having difficulty competing in international markets due to the higher value of the Canadian dollar. Imagine the layoffs and plant shut-downs arising from a carbon tax!

We will continue with our historic mandatory emissions limits. We will continue to deliver programs that encourage and help Canadians to reduce their fuel consumption and we will continue to invest in clean energy technologies, along with the $1.5-billion we’ve delivered to the provinces for emissions and air pollution reduction projects.

Here at home, I have been very encouraged by the sheer volume of companies and local governments who have contacted my office concerning their efforts to market, implement or expand upon green technologies and practices. That is the kind of spirit that will drive us towards meeting our aggressive cuts in emissions and air pollution ….not another tax!

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