Groundhog hogwash

Dear Editor:

RE: Carbon tax debate, Jan. 31.

Is it only in Canada that we accept weather predictions from a rodent (Groundhog Day), but deny climate change evidence from scientists?

Roy Spencer’s theories have been debunked in peer reviewed publications. Mr. Brunsveld should complain about the huge subsidies Canadians pay to fossil fuel companies ($3.3 billion per year) so they can realize even greater profits.

He should ask Ontario insurance companies what they think about climate change. The average trend in insurance payouts (not including uninsured losses) has gone from $150 million in 2000 to $600 million in 2018. Actual payouts amounted to $1,200 million in the first nine months of 2018.

Brunsveld is wrong about the revenue-neutral carbon tax that will be applied to Ontario. Since nearly all of the tax collected in Ontario is returned on an equal basis to Ontarians, those on the low end of the economic scale will actually get more back than they paid out in increased costs. That’s how it worked in BC, and BC’s GDP actually increased more than Canada’s GDP did in that time period.

Although plants may do well with increased carbon dioxide concentration, the planet will not!

Ron Moore,

Hillsburgh