The Hook

C Hatch

What's really rich is the Socred-Liberals have been in power for most of the last 5 decades provincially and the Liberals for most of the last 5 decades federally and in every single term of office, including Campbell's present one, emissions have gone up, habitat has been destroyed, more animals are on the endangered list, fish stocks have been wiped out and yet their supporters are still on here complaining about the NDP.

Is Jack on board?

"“I don’t think money should be handed over no strings attached,” James told reporters at the Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre. “I think it has to be attached to how do you weather the storm and strengthen the industry for the future?”"

Do the Honda and Toyota plants in Ontario get our money too or are they punished because they built good vehicles? Maybe Carole wants all auto manufacturers get our money.

Doesn't the carbon tax, that the NDP wants to cancel, encourage more efficient vehicles as is?

Is Carole James actually campaigning on BC'ers sending tax money to rust-belt Ontario just because Jack Layton's base is there and he wants it? Weird.

Carbon Tax

Doesn't the carbon tax encourage more efficient vehicles as is?

questions realisticman...

And, for the umpteenth time, the answer is STILL NO...

Demand for gasoline is relatively inelastic...for gas prices below about $1.50 per litre it is almost perfectly inelastic.

Have a look at the facts - you'll see the economics is borne out.

If the tax were actually used to encourage, for example, conversions of work trucks and vans to Natural Gas (among other things) then the tax could be a positive and beneficial thing.

As nothing more than a costly effort at casino capitalism it is a waste of effort and little more than a exercise in the typical sleight of hand that Gordon Campbell calls politics.

Don't be fooled.

realisticman...

The BC NDP wants to "Axe the Gas Tax" and introduce a carbon tax on "major polluters" akin to what Denmark has implemented.

And do ya know what happened when Denmark implemented their carbon tax on "major polluters"?

http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/editorial/story.html?id=2754232b-e1ee-4fa4-82fa-c7d070674958

Just what BC's needs in today's economic climate. Go Carole!

realisticman

Didn't read the article again did you?

Here's the first line you skipped :

"B.C. NDP leader Carole James said today that Canada’s auto sector shouldn’t get any federal bailout money unless it starts developing greener technology."

Whereas your guy, wants to bailout everybody in Canada. Here's another quote from the article you didn't read :

"Campbell called for a broader relief package that would include help for all workers"

Gord Guevara apparently thinks all workers need a bailout or none do. I bet he thinks the bailout should be based on salary and politicians should be at the head of the line for that bailout money.

But not to worry, "Canada's new government" has decided that what worked during the depression won't work now and has decided to follow the illustrious RB Bennett and cut spending till everyone cheers up.

In fact I think RB Harper declared the recession over yesterday.

Luke

Sounds like your Liberal carbon tax thingy did really well in Denmark. I'm sure Gord would be ecstatic that Denmark only lost 25% of its manufacturing base, oh if only BC could have lost only 25% of its forestry jobs eh? I bet Gord is jealous.

New version..."Take me out to the shell game......"

Given the sheer futility of pursuing the Co2 = GW Chimera - let alone of capturing the beast if it could be proven to exist - it is little wonder that Corporations see "carbon trading" as a growth industry, as well as a useful diversion away from the real problem, which concerns such atmospheric pollutants as SO2, NO, CO, NH4, and various pariculate matter / aerosols, among others.

Some of this can be eliminated by "scrubbing" smokestack emissions, and the rest accounted for by....guess what?....buying "Emission Credits". LOL.... Yup, Carbon Credits DOES sound greener :-)

Like Iron oxide, CO2 is an extremely stable oompound, not lending itself to bonding with a safely disposable other. The only practical method for disposing of CO2 that I've seen so far is "sequestering" it underground.

But considering the immense volume of CO2 produced in just one day by a typical coal-fired plant, one is forced to wonder how many underground strata there are that are capable of holding it in safe storage, (for the mass release of CO2 can be a sure killer), or how much storage volume can be found, and how cheaply it can be accessed.

Although I've seen lots of blue sky theorizing by enviro types, I've yet to read of a scientific analysis of this issue. Perhaps someone here can offer one, but until then, I will remain very sceptical that we can do anything about CO2.

Frank

I always read the articles I comment on, Frank. In fact, sometimes I also read what you write too.

Re Carole, "B.C. NDP leader Carole James said today that Canada’s auto sector shouldn’t get any federal bailout money unless it starts developing greener technology.". Seems to me that any decisions on what is produced will be made in Detroit or Tokyo and Harper and Flaherty are right in waiting to see what the incoming US administration formulates as automobile policy.

Do you expect the broader relief to be in the form of lower taxes, thereby relieving the self-employed too?

How will Carole James's suggestion that more financing be devoted to reforestation assist forestry workers in the short term?

Will you be going to see Libby this afternoon? I understand Jack canceled and is busy back east trying to preserve the taxpayer handouts to the Bloc et al?

realisticman

Didn't read my comment in its entirety either did you? Ignored the part about your Gord wanting to spend bazillions more than Carole and instead attack her. Good luck with that.

And, so you're against taxpayer funding of political parties based on their votes? Would rather go back to corporations supporting political parties which will keep the Cons many times richer than the NDP. Fortunately RB Harper doesn't have a majority. See you on the hustings.

Laughable, really

Carole reminds me of King Canute on this issue. Does not, nor ever will, have any influence on the auto sector whatsoever. BC is a pissant place in the great scheme of things and we don't produce any cars anyway. So she got her name in the paper. That is all she has accomplished.

Wilfrid

"BC is a pissant place in the great scheme of things"

Sounds like someone's house value is dropping. Its not that bad a place, if you like rain and if you don't mind a government that lies or at least blacks out the truth.

Frank

You seem so angry! Cheer up mate and please try to not assume all the time. There are other ways that political parties can be financed, other than corporate donations and taxes from good working families that need money to feed their children. Use your imagination.

realisticman

Name a better way.

Not that it matters, Harper surrendered and is not going to make it a confidence vote. He knew he'd lose and chickened out.

realisticman

And I've put you down as backing Gord's idea that the Feds should bail out everyone.

By the way

I think more people SHOULD be angry about the gov't trying to hide its record on child abuse in this province. Blacking out the report and trying to say the blacked out portions were just "advice to the minister". Which it wasn't. But I guess most people just don't care.

Good news

The Liberals have found their backbone and have decided to call a confidence vote for Monday to bring down the Harper gov't, the Libs say they have a viable coalition.

Good-bye Flaherty.

"C Hatch" Stirring the Liberal's Pot

What a load of Hooeee! The NDP is the only party, Federally and Provincially that has consistently supported environmental issues over the years. "C Hatch's" comment is simply propoganda from an "other" supporter.

The big three auto companies here in North America along with the govt's have consistently resisted the market push for smaller more fuel efficient cars and trucks for decades. They have made their own beds and now they can lie in them and go bankrupt. Other more efficient companies can pick up the pieces for 10 cents on the dollars, or less, and start producing much needed transit buses, trolleys, trains, more efficient cars and trucks.

Go watch CNBC, the busines channel. Many, most of them are saying let the big three go under. We'll be better for it. Even the auto industry consultants are saying that GM alone has been going down the wrong road for more than a decade, supported by the gov't.

Carol James and the NDP are right on the money. Let the big three fail, no more bailouts!