Economist gives thumbs up to Dion's green plan
A prominent Canadian economist says Stephane Dion's "Green Shift" carbon tax plan is "a good start" that will leave the general Canadian taxpayer "better off."
"The idea itself is very sensible," Don Drummond, the chief economist at TD Bank, told CTV's Canada AM on Friday.
Drummond said that "in most cases" the average Canadian will "be better off" because of income tax breaks and additional federal benefits included in the plan. He also noted that the Liberal plan also addresses a "bizarre situation" on energy taxes.
"We have a fairly stiff tax on gasoline. We have a lower level tax on aviation and diesel. But we have no tax of other pollutants from energy (such as coal). So, it levels the playing field," he said.
Put that in your hysteria pipe and smoke it.
22 comments:
Ah, but the great Prime Minister, who fancies himself an economist, just indicated in a speech that the plan will "screw" the country.
I am not kidding . . . it is just being reported.
How's that for adult debate on national issues. I think the wheels are coming off.
"I think the wheels are coming off."
Joseph, I agree. Harper had better bring something else to the table, because his wild accusations have no external backing. As this debate proceeds, these guys risk being entirely marginalized as the "cry wolf" crowd, while serious people, debate serious matters. However, this might be all they have, fear mongering, because they certainly can't offer their plan as a credible alternative.
Harper sounds like an opposition leader in reactionary mode, amazing to see this dynamic.
Looks like Baird has lost another one of his talking points.
Harper sounds like an opposition leader in reactionary mode, amazing to see this dynamic.
Unbelievable isn't it?
knb
I'm racking my brain to think of another historical circumstance where an opposition leader has seized the national agenda in this way. Who's the PM here anyways? LOL. I'm loving every second of it.
"Crazy", "Screw". With this repetoire of five-letter words, no wonder he doesn't hold press conferences.
Steve, I can't remember it happening either but Paul Wells seems to think that's the way it should be.
He has a point I guess, but that doesn't mean that it's something we haven't seen before.
"I'm racking my brain to think of another historical circumstance where an opposition leader has seized the national agenda in this way."
The answer is Robert Stanfield when he proposed wage and price controls in 1974 - he lost.
Another example would be John Tory proposing funding for religious schools in Ontario - he lost.
anon
I don't think those quite fit, especially the Tory example. That was just a simple "gaffe", which the Liberals were quite willing to exploit. Nobody had to react, Tory just shot himself in the foot.
"The answer is Robert Stanfield when he proposed wage and price controls in 1974 - he lost."
Harper is no Trudeau.
"The answer is Robert Stanfield when he proposed wage and price controls in 1974 - he lost."
Anon:
Dude, you need to get some facts before you try & shine that turd! - I'm just way too EFFing old, too much of a sophomoric partizan & remember that election way too clearly for that CRAP to pass muster.
Bob Underpants was pull'n this Wage & Price stuff from this DRAWERS. There were no NGO's calling for his policies, no united nations conferences that had the world's attention & no ground swell of Tim & Tina Hortons look'n for this policy for the sake of future generations. (Tim, playing for the Sabers! had just died in a crash that year)
Economists were divided on the way forward. It was Willy Brant brow beating PET up at a G7 meeting that made PET (the economist) change his mind more than a year later that brought in W&P. Cripes EFFING Jerry Ford had a button WIN (Wip Inflation Now) - that EVERYBODY mocked!
Dude, M. Dion may not be a Trudeau or an Obama, he may not win the next election, but Bob-EFFing-Underpants or Jerry-fall-down-a-ladder-FORD he is not! Nor is he a crass, small minded DICK like the present PM.
So do me a fave. go back under the Crack Rock or OIL COMPANY Smudge on the Ditto heads web site & spread your uniformed anti-intellectual guff there!
"So do me a fave. go back under the Crack Rock or OIL COMPANY Smudge on the Ditto heads web site & spread your uniformed anti-intellectual guff there!"
Nice.
Politically as the CBC's Rex Murphy says (see National Newswatch), Dion's proposal is a crapshoot. Will he beat the odds?
Don't anyone hold their breath. You'd need the political touch of Ronald Reagan or Barack Obama to do it, and Mr. Dion, a decent enough chap, is clearly neither.
The only ones that will be "screwed" will be Harper and his band of Van Loan look-alikes. For Harper this is "everyone".
"You'd need the political touch of Ronald Reagan or Barack Obama to do it, and Mr. Dion, a decent enough chap, is clearly neither."
And, the good news, neither is Harper.
Someone asked for an example of a leader of the opposition putting forward a drastic policy initiative in Canada - and I gave you an example - Stanfield in 1974.
will leave the general Canadian taxpayer "better off."
But what will it do for the environment? Shouldn't that be the main concern of an environmental plan?
"But what will it do for the environment? Shouldn't that be the main concern of an environmental plan?"
Good question, why don't you ask all the environmental groups that are "applauding" the plan.
Next.
why don't you ask all the environmental groups that are "applauding" the plan.
Because they're too busy applauding to answer this fundamental question.
Steve,
Green Shift:
First blush only but I think it deserves a second look.
I'll keep flipping it over and considering what it means.
One thing I don't like is it seems to be a tax grab. Dion wants to finance all of the Liberal pet projects within the confines of this ...revenue neutrality.
If he hadn't stuck in the rest of his platform for nanny statism I would probably be more comfortable.
However, I'll keep looking at it.
Tomm
Tomm,
Harper is also going to need a tax grab to finance that half a trillion dollar defence plan that he quitely posted on the internet late Thursday night.
Annon:
"Someone asked for an example of a leader of the opposition putting forward a drastic policy
initiative in Canada -"
Guess you forgot Mike Harris & the ironically & oxymoronically named "Common Sense Revolution".
Post a Comment