Well one the front page of the Toronto Star today is an article that tells us that the Liberals are planning to unveil a carbon tax program in tilled the “green shift”. Well lets just say I am one Canuck who had an advance look at the plan. Last month I was part of a focus group of Canadian women that crossed all age groups and included women from many different backgrounds. Now I will also state this, in the last election I voted liberal and have done so for many years.
We at the focus groups were first introduced to the carbon tax as part of the “green revolution”, a title we quickly shot down. Then the plan as it stood was put before us. It is planned to be tax neutral. What’s tax neutral according to the liberals? Every dollar brought in under this tax come back to us Canadians in the form of tax breaks, or other programs. Every Canadian and every company of the plan I saw pays the same rate. Now here is the kicker in that focus group we weren’t told the rate.
We were told some of the ways that they were thinking of putting the tax dollar back into our pockets. Some of them had nothing to do with the environment at all.
Under the plan I saw even the best conservationist would pay the same rate as those that pollute on a regular basis. One of the things we as women told them in the focus group was that this tax really didnt help us to be more motivated to help the enviroment. There were no real incentives, and no real punishments or caps on consumption. Well thankfully that has changed in the plan.
We talked about plans to help those who would be hit hardest by another tax. I am hoping tomorrow when the plan is unveiled it includes measures that will help the poor or will have some sort of relief package attached.
Then at the focus group we talked about the enviorment and the election. Every woman in the room thought that if the Liberals took the plan to voters as an election issue that they would lose the election. I stated then it would be political suicide. I will stand by that statement.
Now the plan is the not only the brain child of the Liberal child but was pieced together with talks that included some of the best envirometal minds in our country. There were several groups that had a hand in this. Does something need to be done to help the enviroment? Yes. Do we need a carbon tax? This is one Canuck who is not convinced. As well if the plan is anywhere near the one I saw last month well this is one less vote for them.
Tags: Canadian, enviroment, liberal, Liberal Party, opinion, Polltics, taxes
