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GUEST COLUMN – NDP
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NDP WILL CONTINUE TO CAMPAIGN AGAINST CAMPBELL’S GAS TAX AS PRICES SOAR PAST $1.50 PER LITRE |
By Carole James, Leader, New Democratic Official Opposition
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The gas tax is here, Gordon Campbell didn’t listen, and average British Columbians are paying the price for a policy that will have next to no impact on fighting climate change.
Instead of listening to the people who are impacted by the tax, Campbell is working overtime – and spending millions of your tax dollars -- to convince you that he knows better.
Campbell’s gas tax couldn’t have come at worse time. Gas prices are already through the roof, and his new tax pushed the price to over $1.50 a litre.
But not everyone has to pay for their carbon emissions. On July 1, you had to pay more for your gas, but Alcan didn’t start paying for the tonnes of carbon their smelter generates.
Cruise ships and the shipping industry won’t be paying. Gordon Campbell gave them an exemption.
Ordinary people didn’t get an exemption. Just how is that fair?
Gordon Campbell says I shouldn't be standing up for average families. But I cannot support a tax that hits consumers alone, gives big polluters a pass, and does almost nothing to reduce emissions.
I believe we need to effectively deal with global warming and greenhouse gas emissions. But Campbell is hurting the wrong people.
He punishes people with no alternatives. The Premier might as well be Marie Antoinette when he tells a commuter with little spare cash and poor transit options “let them drive a hybrid.”
If Campbell were serious about fighting climate change, he would immediately expand transit and roll back the fare increases.
Let’s face it, Gordon Campbell’s fuel tax is badly thought out.
Worse, it’s ineffective and unnecessary. Mr. Campbell claims his tax will reduce emissions 2% by 2020. That’s not even close to B.C.’s goal.
Rising prices are already reducing fuel consumption. With gas at $1.50 and more, Campbell’s gas tax is just piling on more costs.
I have a different plan. I’d cap allowable emissions and tax the big polluters. We can do that through a cap and trade system that puts limits on the amount of emissions and forces companies to change their ways or pay for excess pollution.
Here’s an example of how that would work. In B.C. the oil and gas industry is allowed to spew emissions when it drills for oil and gas and transports it through pipelines. It accounts for seven per cent of our total emissions.
Most provinces and states have tough laws to control that. Not B.C. I believe we should toughen our laws and we should make the industry pay either through a direct tax or cap and trade.
Gordon Campbell says that’s just another hidden tax that will cost consumers. Untrue. Most of BC’s oil and gas is sold outside BC and our consumers aren’t affected. More importantly, a government that cares about the consumer can restrict downloading.
But a plan doesn’t start and end with pricing carbon. Government must help provide the alternatives people need to make changes. That means transit. It means green energy. It means better urban design and national leadership.
Gordon Campbell only offers a tax.
Maybe the biggest difference between Gordon Campbell and me is the way I would go about developing and implementing measures to reduce climate change.
The Premier developed his tax in secret. I’d be open. The Premier refused to consult with those affected. I believe government can learn from listening. And the Premier rammed his tax through the legislature without debate. I believe we have a parliament to debate and improve poorly thought out plans like the Premier’s carbon tax.
The Premier has made it clear: he won’t listen and he won’t compromise.
That’s why we must axe the tax and start fresh with ideas that can stand the test of fairness and effectiveness.
To sign our petition, visit www.axethegastax.ca
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