Luka Suon-Global Environmental IssuesSeptember 11, 2008 began 3:22 pm finished 3:38 pm
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper is fighting the carbon tax proposed by his chief political rival, saying such a move would weaken national unity, already bereft by Quebec's separatists. He justifies his move by claiming such a tax would cause a recession.
The idea for the carbon emissions tax comes from Stephane Dion (leader of the Liberals who are rivals to harper's Conservatives). Dion claims such a move would lower emissions and would be "revenue-neutral", but Harper believes it would involve more money in it than money out of it. In his defense Dion would put a higher tax on fuels (except for gasoline) and offer subsidies to the poor. For the moment Harper's government is turning away from the idea of a carbon tax (seeing it as risky), since the economy is coping with the downturn in the American economy.
Would the carbon tax do anything at all to change the environment? I don't think so. People are already doing their part to conserve without having to deal with a nuisance such as the carbon tax, and such a move to endorse it wouldn't do anyone any good. Rather, it's like shooting yourself in the foot. Well, not really....
In any case, the carbon tax is not a motivation to conserve, and such an idea is ludicrous to begin with. People are going to help the environment, they just don't need a tax that's going to pull an extra three dollars from their pockets to do so!
links:
http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5guTSMQRJqWWNB97ASPKDGOMEpQvA
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080911/wl_canada_nm/canada_politics_can_col;_ylt=AnDsX.zs.OeFQo43g7L7X_xvaA8F
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