Topic
Fossil fuels are exempted, making the carbon tax a joke. Here's a better idea.
Instead, raise fuel taxes, fund green progress.
Why aren't Canadian Taxpayers Federation and chambers of commerce fighting the tax small business hates?
While eagerly enabling tar sands and freeways, he's cooled out green foes.
We all hate the HST, right? It's now a populist campaign, led by former premier Bill Vander Zalm, who has, by the way, also predicted the HST will expand to take in the U.S. and Mexico and eventually be controlled from Brussels, Belgium, as part of a conspiratorial New World Order.
The HST has its pros and cons, but maybe we're being blinded by it and missing the real target. To explain why, let me step back for a moment. Under the PST, various "good" things are exempt, including bicycles and renewable energy equipment. That makes sense. But so are transport fuels and residential heating fuels: oil and gas.
Under the HST, the only exemptions allowed are those on a federal Department of Finance list in Ottawa that does not include bicycles or renewable energy equipment. So these exemptions have to go, along with almost everything else. The exemptions on transport and residential fuels, however, are permitted, and will remain.
So, this summer when virtually everything we buy in B.C. carries the full 12 per cent HST, fossil fuels for transport and residential heating will be exempt. They will receive a seven per cent tax break -- twice the level of the 3.5 per cent carbon tax.
Instead, fund a green revolution
One might ask the MLAs in the Legislature why it's so important to subsidize fossil fuels, above all else. Is it not a glaring contradiction to the aim of reducing air pollution, traffic congestion and greenhouse has emissions, and making B.C. a clean energy leader? Even if the petition to stop the HST succeeds, the seven per cent fossil fuels subsidy will remain in the PST.
The BC Sustainable Energy Association has pondered the contradiction and prepared a solution. We propose eliminating the seven per cent subsidy to fossil fuels, increasing the price of fuel for transport and residential heating by seven per cent, and using the income to create two new funds: one for Healthy Transportation worth $300 million a year, and one for Healthy Housing worth $200 million a year.
To counter the loss of the seven per cent subsidy, the funds would be used for programs that would enable people to reduce their travel and heating costs by up to 20 per cent.
From the Healthy Transportation Fund, we could invest $65 million a year on new cycling infrastructure -- that's 20 times more than the $3 million promised for cycling in the 2010-2011 budget.
We could invest a $135 million a year in transit, allowing local communities to use the funds for increased services, reduced fares, improved shelters or electronic timetables, as they saw fit. This would be in addition to the $173 million that was promised for transit in same budget.
We could also invest in pedestrian improvements, ride sharing, car sharing, video-conferencing, electric cars and eco-driving education. With every initiative, we could reduce air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions and traffic congestion, and enable people to save money on their travel costs.
Pay for healthy housing, too
From the Healthy Housing Fund, we could invest $100 million a year in an expanded LiveSmart program, helping people make their homes more energy efficient. This would be in addition to the $35 million the government recently committed to restore LiveSmart over three years, enabling an eight-fold expansion of the program. This would create a lot of new skilled trades jobs, as well as reducing people's home energy bills.
We could also create an Energy Efficiency Loan Fund with zero or very low interest loans, and targetted programs for rental properties, First Nations, and solar hot water.
Yes, it's a green tax revolt -- a tax revolt in reverse. We're saying, "Let's eliminate the subsidy, and use the income in positive ways that everyone can benefit from." That includes pick-up drivers in the rural Cariboo, where cycling and transit may not be an option. By making ride sharing really easy, they could pick up the phone and cut their travel costs in half.
For this to succeed, all three major political parties must embrace the idea so that it does not become a political football. Can that be achieved? It might take a miracle, but it's also good common sense. Why subsidize the bad things? That certainly makes no sense. ![[Tyee]](http://thetyee.cachefly.net/ui/img/ico_fishie.png){kind=small}
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joeskrlac
3 years ago
HST makes fixed income folks pourer
We retired people or people on fixed income that haven't had one penny raise in five years yet our cost of living up by one third.
MR MLA that votes for the HST in BC Please tell us HOW we can pay that extra cash for
HST per year when we don't have it to spend..
we aren't the gov't that reaches in and grabs every nickel from us/
WE are mad Pensioners, because we are ignored, and we have signed the
"STOP HST Petition" by the 1,000's all across British Columbia.
mary jane
3 years ago
keep signing we aren't cash cows
gordo + gang are on their way out It would be great though if there was someone to vote for in this province when the recall starts.
G West
3 years ago
The Carbon Tax was a joke
Something intelligent observers have known since it's exception.
The HST is a BAD JOKE - just another reach around to Campbell's corporate base - the same guys who make all those donations to the BC Liberals - and a way to address his own fiscal incompetence.
Get busy, sign the petitions, and dare the assholes to continue with these practices in the face of what will be an overwhelming slap in the face.
There is only one way to deal with bullies.
G West
3 years ago
whoops! Once more, with emphasis and minus the error.
THE CARBON TAX IS A JOKE: Something intelligent observers have known since its exception.
Skywalker
3 years ago
And it is good for investors.
I always get a chuckle when I hear some business type on the airwaves tell me that it is good for investment. Duh. If they take money out of my pocket and give it to the "investor" of course he's going to be happy. That is rocket science. They really do think we are stupid.
Rev
3 years ago
Fuels aren't exempt when they have their own dedicated taxes
I hate to let troublesome things like facts rain on a story, but this story blatantly ignores the simple fact that the province already has multiple mechanisms for taxing fuels. By exempting motor fuels from the provincial portion of the HST, they aren't subsidizing anything. They are just choosing to tax fuels independently of other goods (and thus leave the door open to increasing those taxes while not increasing the tax on things other than fuels).
A quick google search would reveal an already extensive taxation structure (http://www.sbr.gov.bc.ca/documents_library/bulletins/mft_005.pdf). For Metro Vancouver, you pay:
Dedicated Motor Fuel Tax - BCTFA: 6.75 cents
Provincial Motor Fuel Tax (general revenue): 1.75 cents
Carbon Tax: 3.33 cents today, 4.6 cents in July
Translink Dedicated Motor Fuel Tax: 15 cents
Federally, you would add on Excise Tax (10 cents) and the federal portion of the HST (5% on the total).
Now I think it's fair game to argue whether those taxes should be increased or decreased, and what we as citizens want done with those taxes. But let's not twist things to say that fuels are exempt -- they're not.
Frank
3 years ago
New world order
Did Vander Zalm really say that? That guy is awesome, I can see why Vaughn Palmer loves having him around.
Just goes to show that the people of BC will even elect a nut as their premier. Kinda explains a lot.
Amelia Bellamy-Royds
3 years ago
G West
I think the word you're looking for is inception...
(I don't normally nitpick other people's comments, but I I found this one particularly funny because of the correction you posted. I had to read it twice to spot the change you did make. I always mix up "it's" versus "its" myself when I'm typing fast.)
offended
3 years ago
The carbon tax goes up again on July 1
The same day the HST goes into effect. So instead of getting double whammied on July 1st, we only get a single tax increase.
The government is just trying to stop the masses from going ballistic on them by doing this.
But we still will be overtaxed. HST, carbon tax; they're still tax increases. Which folks with working poor incomes cannot afford.
Make too much money to get an HST credit; too poor to pay it.
freebear
3 years ago
Just emphasizes the Joke of the Carbon Tax
Sorry Guy, the Liberals and their cronies are not interested!
And squat from Suzuki on this?
G West
3 years ago
You're right - Thanks Amelia
I was so aghast at the it's gaffe I missed the other one. I blame the keyboard too.
On the other hand, given the problems inherent in Campbell's money spinning tax - which hasn't reduced the production of GHG or the consumption of gasoline and diesel - maybe 'exception' works in a kind of figurative and ironic sense.
As a real tax, with honourable uses and purposes - it is a huge 'exception' from the false and dishonest sales job the public has been subjected to.
jim1966
3 years ago
Good Ideas
Some of the ideas in this article might actually appeal to some of the electorate. Problem is though the point of discussion or rationale thinking is over. Mr Campbell just does not care enough to either notice or respond. That's really the issue for most people I've talked to. It's like saying to someone "Here's the deal baby, take it or leave it". Well the people of this province have given there answer. "No thanks.", We'll leave it". I can't blame folks for being angry. I think it's the reaction the gov't was expecting anyways. What I don't think the gov't expected is that the majority of the electorate want them out and gone. I've signed the Anti HST petition. I think that the campaign will force the BC Liberals to either put it to a referendum or face recall. And like Vanderzalm said, if the gov't refuses to have a referendum then recall will proceed. And who do you think is first on the recall list, Mr Campbell. Keith Baldrey mentioned that in the Point Grey riding, most people feel the same way, that they never voted for the HST, they feel lied to as well and want Mr Campbell gone. Again the one really amazing thing about this whole mess is that the people have gotten involved and that is the real democratic process in this country.
G West
3 years ago
jim1966
You know, you're actually correct.
Awhile ago someone sent me a copy of an email they'd sent to Campbell's government email address - it was a polite - but critical - missive about something or other.
It was returned by Campbell's Office with a terse message - returned without having been read...signed by someone or other in the Premier's Office.
The CEO ain't listening folks - he's on a mission!
seth
3 years ago
Another Pirate Power shill
It is good that Duancey, one of Pirate Power's most prolific shills has the Chutzpah unlike cronies Tzeporah or Suzuki to show up on this site.
Dauncey:
private companies are better suited to developing wind energy. “They have the skills. There’s no guarantee that public ownership will lead to sustainable solutions,”
“People who are opposed to exporting green energy don’t understand the severity of global warming,”
Now he's on here, claiming adding 7% to BC's Green tax will do something about Global warming when even his crony Blackjack Jaccard claims 50% is the minimum to have any effect.
So far Daunceys pal Gordo, on Dauncey's uninformed advice, has committed us to buying $65B in IPP power most of it at or moving shortly with inflation clauses to 12.5 cents a kilowatt hour. $1.7B every year in 40 year contracts flushed down the toilet buying 1.5 Gw of worthless intermittent power worth between 3 cents peak and 0 cents offpeak in the spot market. With new nuclear power forecasted at less than 1 cent a kwh almost the entire amount will be lost.
The same $65 in commitments would buy 18 Gw of enhanced Candu's or up to 27 Gw of new Westinghouse Ap-1000 nukes based on recent sales and quotes - enough to totally eliminate BC's GHG's and for real generate a huge green energy export market.
Here's an example of one of Dauncey's "green" pirate scams
The $2.5B Klinaklini project producing 280 megawatts average with a 180 Km 18 sq km hectare power line.
Total cost for a forty year contract to BCHydro would be $12B the equivalent of a $6B 40 year bond.
The power line itself destroys so much forest carbon sink that BCHydro would produce the same amount of GHG's running Burrard thermal at the same power output for 7 years using natural gas at 1/4 the cost to the taxpayer.
For the same cost to the taxpayer, BCHydro could put in a quad enchanced Candu 6 nuclear plant on the Burrard Thermal site producing 3.0 Gw average 10 times the power but no 18 sq km of destroyed forest and river bottom and no GHG's.
Here's Pirate chief Bruce Ripley on nuclear:
"It is an absolute no-brainer, and we should be doing it,"
"For my government in British Columbia, I think that they are making a big mistake by precluding nuclear,"
By supporting the waste of $65B in BC taxpayer's money supporting ultra expensive not so Green projects that produce very little power and equally ineffective "green" taxes, Dauncey and his cronies are BC's biggest supporters of peak oil/global warming/ocean acidification.
With Alberta and Washington State planning cheap clean and green nuclear power builds and BCHydro's rates needing to double just to pay for worthless energy delivery contracts. BCHydro will surely have to go bankrupt. By then Dauncey and his cronies will floating on some yacht in the Caribbean, nobody around to explain it all to the taxpayers stuck with the bill.
pneves
3 years ago
The government thinks things haven't changed.
The problem is the government thinks that things haven't changed. That the people haven't been insulted by their actions. They think the public will continue to be apathetic and won't show up in the next election. Well I've got news for the government. The times of apathy are over. In the next election they will show up and they will remove the liberals from office.
They think the people will forget. They won't forget. They won't forgive. And they will throw the liberals out of office.
After all. All leadership is temporary and Mr. Campbell lied his way in to an additional term. This is an insult to the people of British Columbia and that insult will have its day of reckoning.
mopled
3 years ago
I don't know what Van der Zalm said about
the movement to establish international taxation....but there is no doubt that is what the International Banksters are trying for.
The World Health Org is meeting next week to talk about how to fund themselves and a tax on the internet is one idea.
They are using the same model that failed in Copenhagen. Most people didn't understand that a bait and switch operation was pulled there. Kyoto allowed taxing the developed world to pay "reparations" to the under/un-developed world. The Carbon Credit Scam, where stripping rain forest off to grow bio-fuels was very profitable.
When India and China found out the deal on the table was a 2% tax on the GDP of ALL countries to go to the IMF and to be lent out AT INTEREST to buy "green technology"....everybody went home mad.
So, Van der Zalm may not have the details right, but there is no doubt that the psychopaths that run things are out to squeeze blood out of turnips.
CanadianLatitude
3 years ago
THE CARBON TAX IS A JOKE:
THE CARBON TAX IS A JOKE: Something intelligent observers have known since its exception.
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and yet it never hurt him come election time a year later and come election time in 3 years this hst will all be 'forgotten' and the libs will have a pretty smiley face as new leader and win again.
It is sad but it will happen.
Too bad the NDP does not do anything but ride the coattails of the guy that destroyed the Socred Party. They will waste the next 3 years, won't change leader, come up with half baked proposals.
Too bad the BC NDP was not run even half as good as the Federal NDP, then Gordo might be in opposition now.
The federal NDP still get my vote but in BC I will sit the next election out.
paisley
3 years ago
This Tax will be for this?
What a great idea, lets have a green tax to fund green things(sarcasm). I'm not sure when Mr. Dauncey dropped in but please name one tax that was collected for a purpose to fund something specific that is used for that purpose today. Good luck. What has always happened with specific taxes is that they are rolled in general revenue and the excuse for that tax is long forgotten. The one tax I like the best is personal income tax which was a temporary tax to pay for the war effort. I guess we are still paying for that war but I think we will have it paid off shortly.
Frank
3 years ago
CanadianLatitude
That's an excellent idea for you to sit out the next election.
Ronald Pagan
3 years ago
Not very factual
There are multiple mechanisms used to tax fossil fuels. Saying they are exempt and receive subsidy is disingenuous. You conveniently ignore the federal excise tax on fuel over which a large portion of those revenues were create to establish the Green Municipal Fund. Infact you basically talking about policies that have already been implemented almost 10 years ago.
Should the taxes be higher? That's another realm of debate but consumer fossil fuels are not remotely close to being 'subsidized.'
G West
3 years ago
Ronald Pagan
Not really Ron. The actual cost of a barrel of oil is heavily subsidized.
If you don't believe me, have a close look at this analysis from the US - it's not new, and all their conclusions would have to be revised upward considerably - but everything there, and more if we consider the firesale price of oil and gas leases and the almost complete abandonment of environmental accountability relative to the Tar Sands, is TRUE IN CANADA AS WELL.
http://www.icta.org/doc/Real%20Price%20of%20Gasoline.pdf
G West
3 years ago
And, if you're looking for something a little more current
This should serve:
http://www.energyandcapital.com/articles/oil-gas-crude/461
Please note the section on subsidies.
crh
3 years ago
internet tax
When I get my bill for internet use, I am taxed on it.
We already do pay tax on the internet. Just for fun, what can you name that we don't pay tax on?
RickW
3 years ago
Just for fun, what can you name that we don't pay tax on?
The Shadow Economy..........?
pneves
3 years ago
International Taxation?
Well I was at the Rally last night. Although I find this theory about international taxation is a little too much of a conspiracy theory to me. I do feel that the HST is a way for the federal government to rip control away from the province. It in fact violates section 92 of the constitution and if the government is just allowed to do this then that document will not be worth the paper its written on.
I've felt for quite some time now that democracy is slipping away from us. We need to make a stand. We need to demand accountability from our government. We shouldn't just ask for it. We should demand it. We should be willing to fight for it if they don't give it to us. These back room deals at these international summits are seem to have a common theme. Concentrate power to a few and to hell with everyone else. This is wrong.
We as the people have the ability to take away our politicians power however. Lets not forget this. Without us those politicians are nothing. If we all decide to walk away and start following different leaders then they won't have any power. We don't need elections to do it either. We can just get together one day and form our own government and make our own rules. We can create a government that corrects the mistakes of the past and ensures the people we put there are accountable to us all.
bilgladstone
3 years ago
marching full speed backward
From 2005 until this past winter, I was burning biodiesel in my little car. Now that the tax exemption has been removed from that "green" fuel that helped me reduce GHG emissions by over 80%, biodiesel is nowhere to be had.
All my former suppliers tell me that the tax structure has made it impossible for them to produce affordable biodiesel, and the only station in my region that carried it previously now has a lovely big stainless steel, heated, above-ground, and no doubt VERY expensive biodiesel storage tank the size of my house sitting empty and unused.
Well done, you government catamites to the oil industry! Onward we go into the past...
mopled
3 years ago
International taxation
It's not a "theory". The UN has been discussing ways of raising funds based on international taxation since the Doha round in 2004. This is just the latest flag run up the pole.
"The World Health Organization (WHO) is considering a plan to ask governments to impose a global consumer tax on such things as Internet activity or everyday financial transactions like paying bills online.
Such a scheme could raise "tens of billions of dollars" on behalf of the United Nations’ public health arm from a broad base of consumers, which would then be used to transfer drug-making research, development and manufacturing capabilities, among other things, to the developing world."
http://www.democracyforums.com/frontpage/?p=vB38725
Given that the psychopaths who run the world want global governance and more centralization, it makes perfect sense.
freebear
3 years ago
Should read: Whay Campbell's greenwash is bad for planet!
Campbell's an expert at 'wash'!
KWD
3 years ago
does the shadow economy make everyone pay mor e??
Actually the Shadow Economy, although it seemingly avoids direct taxation at the individual level, probably adds significantly to taxation levels overall.
Who pays for the ever-expanding Department of Redundancy Departments that focus on those that try to hide income?
Luck
3 years ago
HST and any friggin tax increases
In case you did not know, we in Canada pay one of the highest taxes in the world.
A socialist country pays more and get more out of it. Chek it out.
Government in Canada is a joke. The more money they get the more they spend.
Lets focus on Canada and getting it repaired now and into the future for our kids anfd their kids.
More job creation means more taxes to Gov not more taxation on blue collar and poor folk.
Enough of the re-runs fellas.
Either reload or retreat.
It is just that simple.
General strike
General strike
General strike
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Check it out.