Canada’s three largest provinces are forging ahead on a cap-and-trade system to stem global warming emissions, a move made just after a similar plan was abandoned by the U.S. Senate.
The system, set to start in January, 2012, would cap emissions on large industrial facilities in Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia in Canada, and in California and New Mexico in the United States.
If implemented, the plan will likely leave the members’ policy at odds with most of the U.S. and the remaining seven provinces in Canada.
The five jurisdictions making the push are part of the Western Climate Initiative, formed in 2007 and led by California. On Tuesday, the initiative provided details of its centrepiece plan in a lengthy outline of the cap-and-trade program. Other group members, such as Utah and Arizona, haven’t committed to the system that some critics call too costly.
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Limited to only 3 Provinces, and maybe a few States, just see money and industry move next door and I have trouble seeing how a cap and trade system could even work if the pool of potential trading companies are so limited in numbers and limited in geography ?
The impact on the environment is really disproportionally wasteful even assuming that cap and trade systems are even useful if the amount of carbon ” pollution ” ends up barely reduced: This is true ( or at least I believe true ) even if the entire World adopts a cap and trade system, imagine how useless and destructive and a futile “politically correct gesture ” when it’s limited to 3 Provinces ).
Assuming there is Global Warming, even assuming that it’s partially man made Global Warming the whole cap and trade system is ideologically driven to redistribute wealth or destroy wealth in the World economy although some of the ” insider players ” are going to end up rich or richer !
Not sure if this screwball idea will even get past the talking stage, and if a week is an eternity in politics, two years is a long time and public opinion may very much change and make it political suicide. ( at least I hope some sanity will eventually force these politicians to back away and do some real thinking ).
I’m not into conspiracy theories, but I simply cannot believe that our three Premiers (Campbell, Charest and McGuinty) are THAT stupid and that politically clueless that they would aggressively push for ruinous policies for a cause – Global Warming(TM) – that is rapidly falling out of favour.
Where’s the money? What on Earth do they hope to gain by flogging a politically dead horse?
For BC the firms involved are the 40 largest “polluters” and would have a difficult time moving next door to Alberta. That said they could go bankrupt (!) but then again there are a number of natural resource types whos products are in demand by China.
Figures…..Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia would be the ones to follow the example of the dumbest State in the union…..California. Right over the cliff.
CAP the tax going to Ottawa ……………..
Firewall suggestion that Alberta should collect its own provincial personal income tax, also collect federal tax in addition to its own provincial levies and send back to Ottawa what it chose.
This is the only way when $$$$$$$ are involved that proven LIARS like Charest and McGuinty will listen ?
And the fourth biggest province (Alberta) is spending billions supposedly burying plant food. I know they are pumping air underground but I wouldn’t bet the farm on it being pure CO2.