Chantal Hebert writes that, on Thursday, the Supreme Court will rule on the Trudeau government's carbon tax:
For Justin Trudeau’s government, the stakes could not be higher. Should the court find that Ottawa has exceeded its constitutional powers, one of the consequences of the decision would be to transfer the lead in the Canadian fight on climate change to largely unfriendly premiers.
The federal carbon tax only applies in provinces that decline to meet the floor price on greenhouse gas emissions set by Ottawa using policies of their own. With Ontario, Alberta and Saskatchewan leading the charge, they have been fighting the tax in the courts.
There is a consensus that without a carbon tax in its toolbox, Ottawa would struggle to craft an alternative plan efficient enough for Canada to have a shot at meeting its 2050 target of a carbon-free economy. That consensus includes a number of prominent Conservative thinkers.
Yet, at this weekend's Conservative convention, the delegates voted down a resolution recognizing the reality of climate change. Erin O'Toole bowed to his delegates' wishes:
On Friday, he told his party’s convention that a Conservative government would “scrap Justin Trudeau’s carbon tax on working Canadians.” In the same breath, the CPC leader promised to come up with a credible alternative.
That's exactly what Andrew Scheer promised in the last election, where "two-thirds of the electorate voted for parties that supported a carbon tax."
Back in the 1950s, a significant number of Americans referred to the Republican Party as "The Stupid Party." That moniker applies equally to the 21st Century Conservative Party of Canada.
Image: quotefancy.com
8 comments:
The party wasn't buying O'Toole's attempt to tack toward the middle. Indeed, they wouldn't even agree that climate change is real, which is the bare minimum he would need to fake an environmental policy the media could sell to middle-of-the-road Canadians.
No, the Cons will spend another election cycle racking up votes in the petro-provinces, but striking out everywhere else. The base want their racist, misogynist red meat. They want a Trump, but O'Toole is giving them Romney.
Cap
Precisely, Cap. The Conservatives are Northern Republicans. And they're going the way of the Republican Party.
It looks good on them. The political efficacy of targeting the uninformed while deliberately ignoring and selectively insulting almost everybody else has its limits. Where are the numbers that Patrick Muttart convinced them would be sufficiently consistent to give them permanent ownership of the 905 swing ridings? They won't be able to blame an irrelevant NDP next time; it's been irrelevant since the eggheads and lefties trashed Tom Mulcair.
If a man they picked to lead them just a few months ago is powerless in nudging them off this track, they may as well wrap it up and give it to Mad Max and Mr. Wonderful, assuming they would still want it.
Perhaps they'll hand things over to a Canadian Trump, John.
In this day of mass socialism for all is must be difficult to be a party faithful Conservative.
That said the alternatives show little initiative or foresight .
Covid has laid waste to most political parties and ideologies.
TB
I agree, TB. COVID has laid bare the claptrap.
So the CONs deny climate change and try to build pipelines. Dumb effers.
Meanwhile, the Libs embrace climate change aspirationally and use it for cover to build pipelines.
The NDP (in power) copies the Libs.
But don't think twice. it's alright.
And, when the rooster crows at the break of dawn, PoV, look out our windows and . . .
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