With the release of the Liberal team’s carbon tax, finally the debate about putting a price on carbon dioxide pollution has hit the mainstream.
For years the environmental movement and academic economists have been saying the only way we will seriously reduce pollution is by putting a price on it – with a price in place the market will drive innovation and action to get pollution out of our economy.
Over the past year we have even seen industry including the Canadian Council of Chief Executives (www.ceocouncil.ca — search for “carbon price”) get behind pricing carbon dioxide pollution. Why? Because they too know we have to tackle pollution and having a clear price signal is the only way. Provincially we have British Columbia showing real leadership on this file with their carbon tax. Finally the debate is happening in federal politics.
Critical to any carbon pricing system is that it ensures we help protect individuals on low and fixed incomes who are often facing energy poverty.
I think the best quote I have heard this week on this issue is: “let’s tax what we burn, not what we earn”. No matter which government is in power federally and provincially, it’s time to tax what we don’t want – pollution; and reduce the taxes on what we do want – employment, savings and earnings.…