Comments on: Why a vote for Stephane Dion would be a vote for cleantech http://www.cleanbreak.ca/2008/10/13/why-a-vote-for-stephane-dion-is-a-vote-for-cleantech/ Trends, happenings and innovations in the clean technology market Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:28:54 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: BC Green... http://www.cleanbreak.ca/2008/10/13/why-a-vote-for-stephane-dion-is-a-vote-for-cleantech/comment-page-1/#comment-3171 BC Green... Tue, 14 Oct 2008 21:11:24 +0000 http://www.cleanbreak.ca/?p=1205#comment-3171 Seems sad to suggest voting for one party over another on this issue. THe BC Provincial Liberal party imposed a carbon tax. It was to be revenue neutral and in fact the government does appear to be taking steps to achieve that... The NDP, who one might expect would have supported this, has run an "Axe the Tax" program and it now appears that the government may be pushed into backing off on the next steps on the tax. This is purely an effort to gain power - and is a disgusting deviation from common sense... While on the NDP, I am aware of one exec in the party that promotes environmental issues from his uninsulated house - and his SUV... I have a little sympathy for Dion has his heart in the right place - wanting to tax carbon - but wants to ensure that car drivers don't get hit... they all love to blame industry..How many others have we all heard that want to blame India and China... Canada is among the very worst in the world for emissions. India and China on a per capita basis will take many years to catch us.. Industry to their credit will eliminate carbon - especially if they can make money doing it. What is becoming sadly obvious is that a large sector of our public wont eliminate carbon emissions if there is any up front cost - it doesnt matter if there is a payback over time... So any thoughts about voting to get carbon emissions down is probably folly. We all need to have a look in the mirror and get serious about this issue... Homes, houses and cars make up a very large portion of our problem.. We have a big problem and there is nothing gained by pointing fingers and telling others to do it.. Seems sad to suggest voting for one party over another on this issue. THe BC Provincial Liberal party imposed a carbon tax. It was to be revenue neutral and in fact the government does appear to be taking steps to achieve that…

The NDP, who one might expect would have supported this, has run an “Axe the Tax” program and it now appears that the government may be pushed into backing off on the next steps on the tax. This is purely an effort to gain power – and is a disgusting deviation from common sense… While on the NDP, I am aware of one exec in the party that promotes environmental issues from his uninsulated house – and his SUV…

I have a little sympathy for Dion has his heart in the right place – wanting to tax carbon – but wants to ensure that car drivers don’t get hit… they all love to blame industry..How many others have we all heard that want to blame India and China… Canada is among the very worst in the world for emissions. India and China on a per capita basis will take many years to catch us..

Industry to their credit will eliminate carbon – especially if they can make money doing it. What is becoming sadly obvious is that a large sector of our public wont eliminate carbon emissions if there is any up front cost – it doesnt matter if there is a payback over time…

So any thoughts about voting to get carbon emissions down is probably folly. We all need to have a look in the mirror and get serious about this issue… Homes, houses and cars make up a very large portion of our problem.. We have a big problem and there is nothing gained by pointing fingers and telling others to do it..

]]> By: Stumpy Joe http://www.cleanbreak.ca/2008/10/13/why-a-vote-for-stephane-dion-is-a-vote-for-cleantech/comment-page-1/#comment-3163 Stumpy Joe Tue, 14 Oct 2008 17:15:37 +0000 http://www.cleanbreak.ca/?p=1205#comment-3163 Well another Harper gov would be disappointing, but it's encouraging to see the Greens make such an impact this year. As is (for me) the fact that a majority of Canadians seem to favour one of the three left-of-centre parties. One wonders if the three can't get together in some sort of unite-the-left coallition. Also: is it just me or does Dion's greenshift incorporate much of the Greens' traditional platform? At any rate, I tend to believe that people are more powerful than governments. Left-leaning Canadians ought to see through the Harper years by continuing act on their convictions, and focus on local and individual initiatives. These usually pay off, in the long run. Well another Harper gov would be disappointing, but it’s encouraging to see the Greens make such an impact this year. As is (for me) the fact that a majority of Canadians seem to favour one of the three left-of-centre parties. One wonders if the three can’t get together in some sort of unite-the-left coallition.

Also: is it just me or does Dion’s greenshift incorporate much of the Greens’ traditional platform?

At any rate, I tend to believe that people are more powerful than governments. Left-leaning Canadians ought to see through the Harper years by continuing act on their convictions, and focus on local and individual initiatives. These usually pay off, in the long run.

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