I commend Liz Armstrong (Cap and trade deal , April 24) and the Citizens’ Climate Lobby for their support of “a carbon fee plus dividend approach that will yes, raise the price of fossil fuels”. However, being a product of the Ontario Public School math curriculum, I fail to see how making everything more expensive will “especially help low- and middle income Ontarians”. In fact it seems counterintuitive. In claiming “all the revenue (is returned) equally to Ontario households” just who is paying for the administrative costs of calculating said fees and dividends? Are we to assume that our bureaucrats, mandarins and public sector unionized employees are working weekends and after hours for free, out of the goodness of their hearts? It’s always portrayed that the government won’t make money from this ‘Carbon Indulgences’ scheme but at nearly $300 billion in debt the government hasn’t made money since the time of Methuselah.
As for shackling our province to the other great financial millstone of Canada, Quebec, in order to “(open) up the public conversation on carbon pricing” makes for an expensive chat line. Predicated on the fact that “less than two weeks after a series of public consultations… (the) Liberal government announced a cap and trade deal with Quebec”, do you honestly think they even listened?
Armstrong is right however. We owe it to our kids and grandkids to do better. Already they inherit a far less lustrous jewel than was handed us. In returning the shine ask yourself ‘what would be the rational first step’? Taxing the air or reducing government stupidity? Personally I don’t think lack of an air tax got us here. Nor will it get us out.
Jeff Cormack