Dion has finally warmed up to the climate change plan that is favored by most economists.
Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion pitched his controversial proposal to tax carbon emissions, despite warnings from his own caucus that such a policy would be politically risky.
Dion laid out the broad goals of his plan in a speech Thursday to the Canadian Club in Toronto, saying Canadians are ready to accept tax changes to fight climate change.
He revealed few details, saying only it would involve shifting taxes toward things Canadians want less of: pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, smog and waste.
“We need to make polluters pay and put every single penny back in the hands of Canadians through the right tax cuts,” Dion said.
“The time has come for Canadians to pay less tax on good things, such as work, savings and investment. The time has come to put the price on waste and pollution. The time has come to do what is right, not what is easy.”
It is about time. The Green’s have supported a carbon tax for a long while now, but the NDP and the Conservatives are still opposed to such a plan. Introducing a new tax is always politically risky, but (if countless economists are to be believed) it is the right policy to deal with climate change and other environmental issues.
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