Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Dion Pitches Carbon Tax Plan to the Wealthy who can Most Afford it

The Toronto Star has a short article this morning which describes a speech Stephan Dion gave last night to a 800 supporters in Montreal in favour of his carbon tax plan. Each of these supporters paid $500 a plate to hear him speak.

$500 a plate?!?!? Anyone who can afford to spend/waste $500 to listen to Stephane Dion clearly has enough money to pay for a carbon tax.

These supporters will be able to afford paying higher gas prices every time they go to the gas station. These supporters will be able to afford paying higher heating bills every winter and higher air conditioning bills every summer. These supporters will be able to pay higher prices for food and goods they already depend upon and use.

I wonder why Dion choose that particular crowd to pitch his carbon tax plan to? Why didn't he announce his plan to a group of senior citizens living on fixed incomes? Why didn't he announce his plan to a group of middle class parents who worry about paying for their children's extra-curricular activities, school trips, and university education? Why didn't he announce it to a group of small business owners who rely on fuel and energy to power their business and get products made? Why didn't he announce it to a group of automotive sector employees whose jobs are already tenuous enough without increased fuel and energy taxes?

The answer is quite obvious: these groups cannot afford to pay his carbon tax, while the wealthy elite can.

Even though the Liberals claim that they would respond with decreases to income taxes (a claim which I do not trust - the Liberals never saw a tax they didn't like or wouldn't accept), they seem to have forgotten that not every Canadian pays income taxes. What about students, low income Canadians, and retirees who aren't making enough money to be taxes? they won't see any benefit, but they will see their heating and gas bills rise.

Stephane Dion choose to unveil his intention to introduce a carbon tax plan to a group of wealthy elites, because they're the only Canadians who can actually afford to pay for it.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Unless my math is bad, that's 1/2 his leadership debt gone from one event.

Anonymous said...

Does anyone really believe that there are 800 fools left in all of Canada willing to pay $500 dollars to listen to a brain dead Liberal.Who is spinning this story.I heard their were 8 people who paid $5.00 a plate and 6 were waiters and Dion and his wife.

Anonymous said...

How many of those tickets were purchased by Power Corp?