I recently read an unsettling report of an apparently contradictory move by the provincial government of Ontario to force the development of so-called green energy developments in the province of Ontario.
While promoting his Green Energy Act, Ontario Premier, Dalton McGuinty, made it clear that he will no longer accept "Not In My Backyard" (also known as NIMBY) arguments from opponents of new green or renewable energy developments. So long as "safety" and "environmental" concerns are addressed, he will not stand for opposition to new energy generation projects.
Canadian Centre for Policy Studies: Eight Arguments against a Carbon TaxIn this Canadian Centre for Policy Studies report (released Sept. 2008), David Murrell reviews a list of reasons why he believes a proposed carbon tax would be damaging to the Canadian economy.
After describing the basics of the proposed carbon tax, Murrell provides eight reasons he believes the carbon tax will not achieve its stated goals:
Forbes magazine editorial predicts good things for railroads in 2008.
Who would have thought it? Railways are having a good year. They were supposed to be hunkered down, riding out the recession. Instead, the old iron horse is thriving.
Yesterday's Globe & Mail described the move by two Canadian provinces -- Ontario & Quebec --to unilaterally develop a "market-based trading system to cut greenhouse-gas-emissions." It also described the political tension and difficulties associated with developing this type of trading system, especially when the market for that system is so limited.
The Ontario and Quebec governments plan to go it alone by signing an accord on fighting global warming at a historic joint cabinet meeting Monday that gives the clearest signal yet the country's two most populous provinces are turning their backs on Ottawa.
The meeting not only ushers in a new era of co-operation between the two provinces, it also signifies dramatic shifts within Confederation and cooling relations between Quebec and the Harper government. Quebec Premier Jean Charest chose the occasion of a special ceremony in Quebec City yesterday, when Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty presented him with a plaque to commemorate the city's 400th birthday, to deliver a pointed message to Prime Minister Stephen Harper: Ottawa's influence is waning and it is Quebec's relations with the rest of Canada that matter most. ...
Federal Environment Minister John Baird assailed the plan even before today's first joint cabinet meeting between the two provinces was set to begin at the landmark Château Frontenac Hotel in Quebec City.
“I think it's more about talk and political posturing than it is about cutting greenhouse gases,” he said on CTV's Question Period Sunday. “It's a little bit of smoke and mirrors.”
This May 7 Globe and Mail article gives an indication of some of the difficulties that international carbon trading schemes could impose on individual countries. If rules imposed and monitored by the U.N. are not followed, or carbon reporting mechanisms are deemed insufficient by the U.N.'s "enforcement branch," a country's right to trade carbon credits internationally could be restricted or suspended.
The Globe & Mail has an interesting article in its May 8th issue that recognizes the political and social problems any government will face if it attempts to implement a carbon tax regime.
