[skyhigh953]

We clearly need to take action on climate change. My problem is with the approach the government has taken - tax vs incentive. The carbon tax as a whole will increase the cost of everything, even in industries where efficiency is already top of mind - like the trucking company (Siemens I believe) that was quoted as saying they already invest in the most efficient trucks and processes. The carbon tax will just increase their costs. In addition, this is an issue that has no borders, so we just become more uncompetitive while China continues to build coal plants at a rate that will dwarf any reduction in Canadian emissions.

My house is nine years old and my furnace is low-90% efficiency. Is the carbon tax suppose to get me to replace this furnace with a more efficient one? In addition, I am being punished for living in Saskatoon’s cold climate. The carbon used to produce a slightly more efficient furnace will likely take a long time to repay. My car is six years old and won’t be replaced soon, so the carbon tax won’t get me to buy an even more efficient car. I already drive as little as possible and I don’t work Downtown so Transit is not a suitable option. So I just end up paying another tax without reducing emissions. This is the problem with this tax - because most carbon-producing things are inelastic and difficult to substitute, we will all just end up paying more if we are already efficient.

Incentives only are the way to go - on electric vehicles, solar, green business investments, etc. I know there is the rebate on the carbon tax, but it just doesn’t work the same way as an incentive that brings a good electric car into the $30,000 range. This is what gets me to change my behaviour in a meaningful way - my car, and many others, would be replaced with electric much sooner. A $10-15,000 incentive is much more impactful than paying a 5-10c/L more for gas, even if that ends up costing me thousands over the years.

Hopefully Scheer can think of this (or any other type) of Policy alternative other than just complaining about the carbon tax.