Letter: Only ‘fee and dividend’ can save us now

Watching the Jan. 21 CBC debate, I was appalled by the lack of knowledge of the issues displayed by most of the candidates. What worries me most is that they had strong views on these issues and were often spouting misinformation.

Both Paula Peroni (Cons.) and Suzanne Shawbonquit (NDP), and apparently their parties, are against putting a price on carbon. We are already paying a price for carbon-caused climate change through home insurance rates and tax money being used to make repairs following storm after storm. Putting off a solution just means more cost for you and me.

A carbon tax means the polluters pay, not citizens.

There are various ways to tax carbon, and some are better than others. The simplest is a carbon fee and dividend which is in place in B.C. and proposed by the Ontario Greens.

Basically, fuel companies are charged a tax. Think of it as paying for cleanup of the pollution they are making money on. They will pass this cost onto consumers so we pay a little more for gas and heating fuel. In B.C., they are paying seven cents more per litre for gas (that’s the “fee” part).

Here’s the good part — the “dividend.” The money from the carbon tax is put in a dedicated account and returned to consumers in a carbon cheque every month.

About 80 per cent of Canadians would receive a cheque that is more than the increase they paid on fuels. This is money we can spend on other things which will help our economy grow.

This system will also help low-income families who tend to consume a lot less than the wealthy. Fair.

Carbon fee and dividend encourages companies to find ways to pollute less and encourages us to insulate our homes and upgrade our windows and it puts money in our hands to do these things. Smart.

Unfortunately, the Liberals are wanting to implement a different, less effective carbon tax plan.

Sudbury Green candidate David Robinson made several attempts at last night’s debate to educate these wanna-be leaders and correct the misinformation. Carbon fee and dividend is good for you and me. Period.

If you want to understand your choices around carbon tax, I suggest you (and the candidates please) check out citizensclimatelobby.ca or drdavidrobinson.ca.

This election gives Sudbury a chance to make the right choice if we can get past the scandal, the rhetoric and the misinformation and really understand the issues.

Karen Bringleson
Val Therese