Shift or Shaft?
For months we have been waiting for some signs of life from the man who wasn’t many Liberals first choice. Having Stephan Dion as Liberal leader is a little like getting the last date when the lights go on.
Now we have life.
That being said, many in this region wonder how punishing coal and heating oil with a Liberal carbon tax is going to translate to their wallets, and will Dion’s proposed tax cuts be enough to offset higher costs elsewhere?
The average Nova Scotian family has two kids and an average combined household income of $50,190. In that case the Liberals will kick back $1,000.00 in tax relief. But will that be enough? Lower income earners get a bigger break and upper middle class will get pummeled, I suspect. Overall, for the region here, I am doubtful that the tax cuts are deep enough.
Deeper tax cuts would have been more comforting.
The Liberals say their “Green Shift” plan will be “revenue neutral” and will, in the process, curb pollution and wean ourselves off dirty, increasingly expensive, fuel. But when was the last time somebody told you “it won’t cost a thing”?
The Conservatives cut the GST because the GST is simple to understand. Now our collective eyes are glazing over with carbon taxes, tax cut calculators, the NDP’s “Cap and Trade system” (companies are issued emissions permits and if they go beyond it they have to buy more credits from companies who pollute less), followed by the Conservative’s ventriloquism of singing the environmental anthem without moving their lips. The whole thing is quite a show.
Unlike the nonsensical Liberal policy in Afghanistan, where a non-combat role was preferred in a war zone and the NDP wanted out entirely with the Conservatives wanting to stay the course, there is now bold policy leadership from Dion.
Today the voters have a clear choice and the NDP are the ones left out. The NDP “Cap and Trade” system is even more arduous to explain and administrate. However, it might be the least costly politically due to its industrial targeting.
But higher costs for businesses always transfer to the consumer, correct?
But how do you ever motivate a company like Nova Scotia Power to change from using coal when they are so profitable and their executives pay themselves more than any other public utility?
Stephan Dion has given voters leadership with a bold plan that moves us into the new age but forces us to examine, and self-examine, and change behavior in the process.
It is not the path of least resistance.
June 23rd, 2008 at 6:23 pm
This is not how I want the country to deal with cutting carbon output. Regardless of income tax cuts, whatever costs are added to businesses will make their way downhill to the consumer. We live in a market economy and that is reality. This plan could be highly effective in Cuba.
June 23rd, 2008 at 7:22 pm
The Carbon Tax achieves nothing other than making people, all people pay more than they are paying now. Now I hear everyone saying “Yes nail the big bad corporations”. They only thing wrong with that is that Dion, the other politicians, and people who cheer more coporate taxes, forget one small thing. We the people who buy their products and/or services, pay those taxes when we do business with them. So expect to pay more for your food, furnishings, clothes, and of course fuel. The little the poor will save in income taxes will be devoured by higher prices then some. Dion has said nothing about where this money is going.
Solar and wind power is still not economically viable but is getting closer, but really, it will never power towns and cities. Electric cars? Expensive, good only for short distances and still requires a power plant (fossil fuel, nuclear, or if ur lucky hydro) to recharge it. Want to impress me? Either get an alternate fuel to power internal combustion, diesel, and jet engines or something to replace them. Don’t even think about bio-fuel, we all know what’s happened to crop prices. Why would a farmer sell his crop for food when he can get more to use it as fuel.
June 26th, 2008 at 5:21 pm
“companies are issued emissions permits and if they go beyond it they have to buy more credits from companies who pollute less”
Ah - replace the worthless CDOs, derivatives and other busted ponzi schemes with another fictional financial instrument - gotta keep those banks afloat.
How many decades will this fraud take to pan out?
June 27th, 2008 at 7:06 am
Dion was pounding his desk ranting against a carbon tax and how he could never support it. Now, he has flip flopped and is all for a carbon tax. What a fraud! However, the gullible public and radio announcers like you, Andrew, suck this garbage up and really believe it. By the way, why don’t you ask Dion what the carbon reduction target will be as a result of his plan? Furthermore, Canada contributes 2% of world pollution, so why not target China, India and the USA first and foremost! Canada can not reduce carbon emissions alone.