An aversion to evidence-based policy
By Letter to the Editor on October 21, 2019.
At the Oct. 2 federal election forum for the Medicine Hat-Cardston-Warner riding Conservative incumbent Glen Motz stated “you can’t tax your way to a clean environment.” Do you agree with him? His statement is not correct, as proven by only a few examples, below. Firstly, Alberta has collected a government-imposed deposit on beverage containers since at least the 1950s. As a result, it is my guess that many millions of containers have been kept out of landfills, off roadsides, and otherwise out of our environment. Likewise, the provincial government has imposed a tire tax of four dollars per tire for at least 25 years. How many millions of tires have been better disposed of than in landfills and in massive fire hazard piles because of that tax? But, “you can’t tax your way to a clean environment.” Really? Motz has lived in Alberta for decades. I guess he doesn’t drink or drive. Secondly, Norway has had a carbon tax since 1991, British Columbia has had one since 2008, the U.K. has had a carbon tax for about six years and so has California, also for about six years. All of those jurisdictions have observed significant reductions in carbon dioxide emissions because of their carbon taxes. None of those jurisdictions have found any measurable negative effect on their economies because of their carbon taxes, and, in fact, innovation and new technology prompted by carbon taxes and assisted by some of the tax revenue have resulted in economic positives in the economies of those jurisdictions. For more on this please refer to the information at ecofiscal.ca There you will find that an eminent conservative, former Reform Party leader Preston Manning, agrees with a carbon tax, along with eminent people from across the political spectrum from all over the world. These people understand that a cleaner environment and an enhanced economy can both result from a carbon tax. But, according to Motz, “you can’t tax your way to a clean environment.” It is noteworthy, I submit, that Australia began a carbon tax a few years ago but, before the results could be analyzed and understood, a new Conservative government repealed it after it was in effect for just over a year. That repeal was shortsighted, irresponsible, and, rather gutless in my view, because it glibly ignored facts and truth, such as those stated above. It seems that Australian government, and Alberta’s UCP, along with Motz, Scheer and the federal Conservatives suffer from Harperitis, which is a governmental disability resulting in policy-based evidence and also causing an aversion to evidence-based policy. Gregory R. Côté Irvine, Alta. 7-6
