Wednesday, February 18, 2015

What's Stopping Them?



Compelling reasons exist for putting a price on carbon. Three Star readers offer theirs:
Re: Ontario carbon price policy in the works, Feb. 13

I was struck by the total disconnect between two of your news articles on Friday.

One was on the Wynne government’s decision to put a price on carbon, which is clearly essential given the urgent need to reduce our emission of greenhouse gases. In this article, the Conservative leader, Jim Wilson, is quoted as saying that a price on carbon will “hurt the economy and kill jobs” even though both claims have been disproven by the B.C. carbon tax.

The second article reported the scientific study that shows that climate change will bring decades-long droughts to the American Midwest that will devastate its agricultural economy by mid-century. We can expect similar disruptions in Canada.

How can the Conservatives, both provincial and federal, continue to claim fiscal responsibility and yet totally ignore the future costs of climate change by opposing action to reduce greenhouse gases?

Alan Slavin, Peterborough

Environment Minister Glen Murray notes in a strategy paper that, “Climate change is already costing Ontarians by threatening our communities, businesses and way of life. While Ontario is showing leadership in fighting climate change, we know we need to do more and we need to act fast.”

We agree. The time to place a fee on carbon is now. A fully refunded greenhouse gas pollution fee can be used to fund tax reductions on jobs and income, and levels the playing field, encouraging all players to reduce their pollution.

We win by reducing pollution at least cost, by having more money in our pockets and by encouraging clean technology business with price signals, not subsidies.
As citizens of Ontario we should advocate growing the economy by implementing a greenhouse pollution fee that is: fully refunded, simple, competitive, transparent, predictable and priced right. It’s a win, win, win.

Andreas Kyprianou, Canadians for Clean Prosperity, Toronto

What if world governments put a rising fee on carbon, and gave the revenue to their people? The rising fee would improve industrial productivity and drive innovation in clean technologies. It would produce quality jobs and help clean the air and water, improving people’s health.

The money returned to citizens would help take the edge off the rising cost of living and stimulate spending. It will also help reduce carbon pollution that is disrupting the global climate.

The World Bank and IMF are calling for a fee on carbon. It’s time the G20 do the same.

Cheryl McNamara, Toronto

4 comments:

  1. .. who profits .. ? How ? Why ?

    As dark, crazy.. bizarre as it seems..
    the questions re carbon, pollution, environment, power, politics
    just won't go away or be answered.. as individual components.

    Does that mean there is a more overarching answer?

    In Canada today, we have no real understanding or tally
    of how many elected politicians at municipal levels
    provincial levels or federal levels.. are - dare I say it..
    evangelical or fundamental christians
    adhering to some sort of rapture belief

    gawd bless them I say.. but they better keep that seperate
    from the task they were elected for.. as public servants..

    As a plausible explanation for elected representatives veering off on their own mystical tangents, hiding their habits from the electorate, obstructing our view of what they are doing or up to.. this might be it. Rapture politics.. belief they are masters of the world's bounty and that as superior beings they will be head of the line when ascending to whatever heavenly heights they are destined for.

    OK.. maybe must in line behind folks from Israel..

    Seeking rationale explanations, one comes up empty for the sheer desperation and deviousness of so many elected politicians.. So whether carbon, global warming, poverty, privacy, truth, values.. they all pale before the exalted demands of clawing to wealth, power and abuse of any nature, to live as the superior beings they were born to be.

    I welcome any other explanation that is less ridiculous or disastrous

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    1. While there is undoubtedly that element within the right-wing, Salamander, I wonder too if some of it is also explicable by the fact that many of the people we elect are just not very bright, well-read, or possessed of the fortitude to stand up for their constituents rather that be the obedient puppies of their party's dictates.

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    2. .. from what I understand, a majority of the Harper Ministers adhere to at least one or all of the mixture of evangelical, anti free choice.. or christian fundamentalism.. the ranks of Harper MP's the same. There is or was a serious attempt by the christian right to ensure every federal riding had a Conservative candidate of those same beliefs, by flooding the party memberships of each riding. Paranoia on my part? I was stunned to start catching wind of the story. Bottom line though, that contingent thinks environment is there to serve us.. as are resources their rightful plunder. Breaking rules or ignoring them? Pshaw.. They are the righteous & gawd's on their side. Ask yourself.. if Nigel Wright is so bright earnest honest and the most wonderful human being.. how did he stomach Stephen Harper.. or Jason Kenney, Rob Anders, Poilievre, Calandra or Vic Toews? Answer? There is something fundamentally flawed in these people.. Perhaps its simply greed or entitlement.. or a dank limp moist secret handshake

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  2. statists are going to state...sigh..MORE EXTORTION! YIPPIE... we are so civilized.

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