David Suzuki says Canadians want to pay more taxes; Angus Reid says otherwise
David Suzuki says Canadians are willing to pay, nay, are demanding that they be forced to pay, carbon taxes. An Angus Reid poll suggests exactly the opposite.
Environment crusader David Suzuki says ordinary Canadians are far ahead of politicians when it comes to fighting climate change -- and that they're ready and willing to pay for it.
Fresh from a cross-Canada tour in which he heard from thousands of people in more than 40 cities, Suzuki told CTV's Question Period on Sunday that Canadians are ready for a carbon tax that would punish those who waste energy and reward those who conserve.
"We met over 30,000 Canadians. They recorded over 500 personal statements about what they would do if they were minister for the environment," Suzuki told Question Period co-host Craig Oliver.
"And I'm telling you, they want carbon taxes."
So does that mean 500 Canadians said they wanted to pay more taxes, or higher prices for goods and services driven by carbon taxes forced upon corporations and manufacturers? Some fraction of that 500? Just what sort of numbers is he talking about.
Angus Reid is running an online survey, and though the number of respondents is not specified, the balance of opinion is exactly the opposite of what Suzuki states:
When asked if the priority ought to be lowering taxes or combatting climate change, two-to-one the choice was lowering taxes. And of the one-third who would prefer to combat climate change, it is not clear how many of them are only interested in fighting climate change if it meant no change to taxation levels. I think it's safe to assume some will indeed back off of combatting climate change if it means paying more money in taxes, directly or indirectly.
Maybe Canadians just figure Suzuki and his kind just make no sense:
Suzuki, other environmentalists and opposition members also say the Tory study is flawed because it doesn't take into account the benefits of cutting emissions -- such as reduced energy costs and a more stable climate.
Canada contributes something like 2% of the total global CO2 emissions. Of course, carbon dioxide pales in comparison to the Number One green house gas, water vapour. Some computer models suggest a positive feedback loop (more CO2 leads to more water vapur), but then those models require CO2 well beyond anything that human industrial activity is ever likely to create.
Moreover, the overwhelming effect of water vapour makes the trivial changes to CO2 envisioned by Kyoto utterly irrelevant to driving climactic activity.
So how could Canada's 2% contribution to a negligible green house gas possible matter? And why would we trash our economy through carbon taxes to make a negligible difference to a negligible contribution to a negligible gas? A more stable climate? Come on -- tells us another one.
Presumably, the 500 people who spoke to Suzuki were fans of Suzuki. They probably don't drive cars, eat organically grown molds, and weave their own clothes out of unsmoked hemp, so a carbon tax is a non-event for them. But for the rest of us? Angus Reid is measuring that opinion, and it suggests that David Suzuki needs to go on another exhaust-spewing drive on a luxury touring bus to understand what Canadians really think.
Maybe he ought to seek out Canadians at working long hours in offices and budgeting for diapers at Wal-Mart, instead of just relying on the fanboys who sought him out. I bet they'd give him an earful about more taxes.
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Comments
Personally, I went to www.freecarbonoffsets.com and got a certificate for 100 units, so I am good and don't need to be taxed any further. May go back and get some more, then I expect a tax refund from Kooky Suzuki and co.
Posted by: tom at June 3, 2007 01:12 PM
That was the 30,000 multi million airs that he talked to across Canada.
Posted by: Nicklan at June 3, 2007 04:28 PM
one thing i've been looking for and can't seem to find is how much of these greenhouse gases our forests an farmlands actually absorb . there has to be an incredible amount considering the vast amount of uninhabited space in canada . surely there must be at least an estimate . why do we never see it ?
Posted by: john demerais at June 3, 2007 05:42 PM
Is Suzuki betting on getting a Senate gig when *shudder* the Liberals get back into the treasury?
Posted by: ZiLLa at June 3, 2007 06:51 PM
I'd love to look at how representative a sample both the 30,000 were, as well as the 500. My guess: not very.
Posted by: tori at June 3, 2007 07:17 PM
"Presumably, the 500 people who spoke to Suzuki were fans of Suzuki. They probably don't drive cars, eat organically grown molds, and weave their own clothes out of unsmoked hemp, so a carbon tax is a non-event for them."
Umm, I'd be willing to bet that they're probably as hypocritical as the two gurus themselves - Suzuki & Gore. Do as I say, but let the gullible huddled masses give up their creature comforts, seems to be their MO.
Don't get me wrong, I think we should all do our little bit for our immediate environment, adhering to the 3 Rs as much as possible: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
But carbon credits & carbon trading? A scam.
http://environment.guardian.co.uk/climatechange/story/0,,2093815,00.html VIA Jack’s Newswatch June 3/07
"Truth about Kyoto: huge profits, little carbon saved
On the eve of a G8 summit focused on climate change, Nick Davies reveals major flaws in the global system designed to reduce emissions
Saturday June 2, 2007
Guardian"
Posted by: Gabby in QC at June 3, 2007 07:17 PM
HAs anyone asked THE PROFIT Suzuki who paid for his multi million dollar home.
Oh ya one more thing F**K Suzuki!
Posted by: rod at June 3, 2007 09:28 PM
Maybe we should just pay the new tax directly to "Sir" David...he knows best what to do with it of course.
Now at least Mr. Suzuki can say someone else came up that that idea.
Posted by: Zonomar at June 3, 2007 10:18 PM
Maybe we could have a special tax on homes that are valued at more than $1,000,000.00
Posted by: Phil at June 3, 2007 10:26 PM
I wish this nutsack would poll the 30,000,000-30,000=29,970,000 other folks...HEY DAVE! MILLIONS WANNA SMOKE POT, TOO!
Posted by: Feldwebel Wolfenstool at June 4, 2007 06:40 AM
The fruit fly doc never heard that from this Canadian...and Angus-Reid never asked either.
Frankly with retirement looming just a decade and change off in the future, I am alarmed at the amount of my productivity the government takes...it is impacting my savings and my hope for a early or full retirement.
Fuckheads like Suzuki should say things like that to my face so I can hand this insulated parasite a well deserved bitch slap from the muddied masses who labour under the thick yoke of taxation needed to float his parasitic public teat sucking ass above worrying about things like retirement.
Is it not the least curious to you, that all those who advocate personal sacrifices from people barely able to make them are unwilling to make any peosonal equivilent reciprocal sacrifice? They advocate the expansion of the state and the tax increases to build it, but are economically insulated from the impact...to me this is immoral.
I have never detested an individual as intensely as Suzuki...he epitomizes all that is hypocritical and self-serving in the human charcater.
Posted by: WL Mackenzie Redux at June 4, 2007 09:29 AM
You guys have pretty well nailed everything I was going to say so I'll refrain from posting to this thread. Keep of the good work.
Oops!
Posted by: Phil at June 4, 2007 09:54 AM
John D:
The North American continent is a net scrubber of CO2. The air comes onshore at 7% Pacific side and leaves at 3% Atlantic side. This includes all those nasty Yanks dumping all their guck into the air. The real cause of the warming trend is not what the IPCC or anybody else says. It comes from the big light in the sky. Radiation is higher now than in the past- even Mars is losing its polar caps. This whole hysteria is caused by one man, called Mo Strong- the architect of Kyoto, for his personal benefit.
He is a member of the trilateral commision, trained by the London School of Economics in the Fabian movement. Remember Mo from the Oil for Food Scandal In the U N. Check out Junk Science by Steve Milloy. It's a daily compilation of articles from around the planet about all kinds of stupid issues and G W is hot right now, so many items are about that.
Still don't know where Tangwyn is- though I'll be staying at a lodge on Quadra in a few days and will do some snooping while I'm there.
Posted by: Dave from Campbell River at June 4, 2007 11:29 AM
I'd pay more taxes to get rid of Enviro-Freaks like Suzuki, forcing him back to studying the fruit fly or the sex life of Monkeys, working in genetics, which is his field. He wears a mean fig leaf too.
If any more Liberals get appointed to the Senate we might as well shut the place down, there's no democratic debate, only Liberals can rule in both Houses, the people's choice counts for nothing if it isn't Liberal.
Posted by: Libby at June 4, 2007 12:57 PM
Apparently, Suzuki has made the error of assuming that the "30,000 Canadians" he spoke to represent a microcosm of Canadians.
Odds are, the 30,000 Canadians who came to see him already agree with him. I doubt Suzuki -- arguably one of the smartest people in Canada -- failed to consider this.
Irony abounds.
Posted by: Patrick Ross at June 4, 2007 06:24 PM
Does anyone have any idea how many of the "respondents" didn't hold high 6-figure salaries with the State-run media organ, and didn't have to give a second thought about decreasing productivity and diminishing of the Canuck industrial base... you know, normal working folks not inhaling deeply of the public teat? Folks who could actually eke out a living working in the private sector, say, rather than sleaze their way through a plumb public broadcasting gig?
And, of course, those not living in more than one million dollar abode?
Would it be too much for somebody in the MSM to call this hypocrite on these things? If the country blindly followed this maniac, we'd have no industry, oil sands OR jobs; he, however, would continue feeding at the publicly-funded CBC trough, happy as ever. Perhaps occasionally throwing nickels into the begging bowls of those who once had decent jobs in the country.
If there is anyone in this country who needs to STFD & STFU, it's this fool
mhb23re
at gmail d0t calm
Posted by: mhb at June 4, 2007 10:11 PM
Patrick Ross at June 4, 2007 06:24 PM
"I doubt Suzuki -- arguably one of the smartest people in Canada"
That statement, too, is rather loaded with irony.
Posted by: at June 4, 2007 10:14 PM
Patrick Ross at June 4, 2007 06:24 PM
"I doubt Suzuki -- arguably one of the smartest people in Canada"
That statement, too, is rather loaded with irony.
Posted by: mhb at June 4, 2007 10:14 PM
is this idiot never going to stop?
ask his first wife - she was too japaneese for him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: george at June 4, 2007 11:21 PM
I would not be in favour of carbon taxes. It shifts the blame to consumers who are forced to drive and consume gasoline. Do you think I want to pay more taxes just so that we can "feel better"? As though it matters, with heedless China about to become the worlds biggest polluter.
Posted by: R. Alexander at June 4, 2007 11:54 PM
When I want a geneticist to lecture me about the environment, I'll ask. Until then, Mr. Suzuki, please shut up.
Posted by: Bert at June 5, 2007 11:32 AM
Now we can hardly expect the big polluters will want to reduce pollution and cut in on their profits from the carbon credits.
People like Strong and Chretien who have vested interests in China will stand to gain big time and it's the main reason Kyoto was set up. IT HASN'T GOT A BLOODY THING TO DO WITH CLEANING UP THE ENVIRONMENT, IT'S THE EXACT OPPOSITE.
We're expected to pay them to build more coal fired plants and under Kyoto we'll pay them to pollute. Beautiful!
Posted by: Libby at June 5, 2007 12:21 PM
While our dear lords and ladies who live in palaces (ie. Suzuki, Gore, the 'good people') can afford to buy environmental forgiveness for their extravagance through carbon indulgences without their wallets feeling a thing, I guess I'll continue to hang my laundry on the clothes line (as did my mother, grandmother, etc before me), keep my thermostat at 66 and wear a sweater (learned from listening to dear ol dad, et al) and become angry all over again every time I see more of my paycheque go out the door to government, ngo's and those good people listed at top of page. Yeah, I want to pay more taxes.
Posted by: at June 5, 2007 07:25 PM
And another source of CO2 emmissions?
The hot air coming out of Dave Suzuki mouth and ass.
Posted by: Jon M at June 5, 2007 09:49 PM
Man made climate change is a myth perpetuated by high priced researchers with huge grant aspirations, governments that are out of control and owned by money interests who crave easy access to the public purse. Carbon dioxide is part of life. When do they start to charge me for breathing out CO2 which I do several times a minute? For sure this is the ultimate goal.
tw
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