Dear editor,
Instead of a punishing carbon tax, I believe that Canada’s exported energy should be taxed and funds used to mitigate the climate impact on Canadians and the Canadian standard of living.
Perhaps energy-importing nations would reduce consumption.
The Canadian carbon tax is just another tax on top of many federal, provincial and municipal taxes. As a lower-middle-class earner, I pay half my income in various taxes. I can afford this , so far, but many struggle with the high cost of housing and living.
B.C. could disappear and there would be zero impact on global emissions. Eight billion people in the world is the issue.
Consider that electric vehicles and heat pumps rely on BC Hydro to supply power. Last drought year, BC Hydro imported 20 per cent of their power from Washington state, 12 per cent of which is produced by burning natural gas.
The state of California appears to be very green with wind and solar power, but 47 per cent of power generated in California is generated by burning natural gas. There are 20 million natural gas customers, in southern California. There is no carbon tax.
California is less than half the size of B.C. and emits six times the GHG. No carbon tax.
It is a myth that California is “green.”
It is a myth that the B.C. carbon tax will solve global warming and climate change.
However, it will continue to burden those who can’t afford another tax.
Phil Harrison
Comox