The recent letters from Mr. Lee and in particular economist Mr. Perras have left me scratching my head. These gentlemen have missed the point entirely. Carbon taxes are simply another excuse for socialist governments, both federally and provincially, for another tax. Rather than debate this socialist tax grab as a re-distribution of income (which it is), or quibble about the amount of money given back to those who have been robbed as a vote buying subsidy (which it also is), these gentlemen should instead be debating why the carbon tax was implemented in the first place? Carbon tax in any form is absolutely unnecessary and will never accomplish any reduction in carbon emissions unless and until the rest of the world complies with the Paris Accords. No compliance protocol was ever established, therefore no enforcement will occur. Even if compliance is met voluntarily by the entire world there are many scientists that suggest it will do little to prevent global warming or any other perceived environmental issue. Consider these facts! 60 per cent of total carbon-based emissions are generated by six countries, the U.S., China, India, Russia, Japan and Germany. The U.S. is the largest emitter at between 14.34 and 14.75 per cent, and has walked away from the Paris Accords. The remaining five countries generate an average of 9.2 per cent of these emissions. According to my research, only Japan has implemented a carbon tax. Australia’s carbon tax was discontinued after time and research confirmed its absurdity. Perhaps Mr. Perras can explain why we in tiny little, apologetic, hand-wringing Canada, generating a paltry 1.54 per cent of emissions, with the most energy-efficient oil and natural gas production and processing industry in the entire world are implementing carbon taxes? Why are American NGOs (supported by the Trudeau government with our tax dollars), permitted to finance environmentalists and naïve Canadians in protests against Canadian energy projects in, Eastern Canada, the Kinder Morgan Transmountain and Enbridge Line 3 Pipeline Upgrades, as well as the Keystone XL project, while America ignores the Paris Accords and we implement carbon taxes? Will someone explain why Canada annually permits approximately 4,000 foreign oil tankers to enter Canada’s East coast harbours and up the St Laurence River to Montreal and Quebec that are exempt from Canada’s environmental regulations? Explain why our own tanker traffic can be banned from BC’s West Coast by Trudeau, yet tankers from America can range from Alaska to the American mainland at will? Please explain why Alberta’s NDP can shut down our coal fired energy producers while BC exports its coal to Asia through the port of Vancouver to support China’s new coal fired power plants? Tell me why Canada imports over 750,000 barrels of oil every day at a daily cost of $40 million dollars by foreign tankers or from the U.S. by rail (with the potential of burning down another Lac-Megantic), all exempt from environmental regulations to supply the 10 refineries scattered from Sarnia, Ont., to Come By Chance N.L., while Alberta oil is fundamentally land-locked? Think about this: if Energy East had been built, railway equipment re-deployed to handle environmentally safe grain shipments and eastern refineries were converted to handle the refining of heavy oil, Canada could be totally energy self sufficient in 10 years without any carbon tax. Mr. Perras has determined that his cost of the carbon tax is $330 annually? I’m not an economist, but I can use a calculator. The cost of the carbon tax in my household is almost $800 per year including the carbon tax added to the cost of goods and service providers that is passed on to every home, business and automobile owner. These include things that are easily calculated such as gasoline, natural gas consumption and a two to three per cent additional cost to Alberta businesses that pass those costs on to consumers for everything they buy. Our economist neglected to mention the added cost to the Alberta taxpayer of the wasteful bureaucracy hired by the NDP to implement the carbon tax initially, then administer the rebates to “divvy up the spoils” of this theft. To conclude, I fully agree with Mr. Lee that more people should be “whining” about the carbon tax as a costly and unnecessary burden. To quote Mr. Perras; “not enough rational and intelligent thought has been given to this issue”? Certainly as an economist he hasn’t been doing much rational and intelligent thinking, because he has definitely missed the point of the debate. Since Mr. Perras graciously offered his services to Mr. Lee, I’m also willing to debate the absurdity of the carbon tax with him, as well as any economic benefit associated with it. To paraphrase our economist, I’m also in the phone book and now I respectfully rest my case. L. Leugner.
