Just the Facts - Liberal Carbon Tax 

The Liberals seem to have trouble explaining Stephane Dion’s carbon tax plan.  Who exactly will be paying the costs of the Dion Tax Trick?  In fact, they seem to be giving very different answers in different parts of the country.  Depending on where they are in the country, Liberals have suggested that residents and businesses in Alberta and Saskatchewan will be covering the costs for Ontario, while Ontario, Quebec or Alberta will be covering the costs for Saskatchewan, and Alberta will cover the costs for Nova Scotia, while Toronto will chip in for Saskatchewan.  Or maybe there will be special side deals for various provinces.  Why can’t the Liberals give Canadians a straight answer?  Why do their stories keep changing?:
 
The facts:

• In Ontario, Stephane Dion says Saskatchewan and Alberta will pay: Stéphane Dion says 40 per cent of Canada's carbon emissions come from Alberta and Saskatchewan and the two western provinces will have to do the most to change their habits under his new green plan (Globe and Mail, June 27, 2008)

• In Saskatchewan, Dion says Ontario and Quebec will pay: “Also, the carbon tax liability for those emissions in many case will fall outside Saskatchewan. … in Ontario with their concentration of…and Quebec.  (John Gormley Live, News 650, June 27, 2008)

• In Saskatchewan, Dion says Toronto will pay: “Many of these emissions are in the hands of stakeholders that are in Toronto or elsewhere in the world, not in Saskatchewan” (John Gormley Live, News 650, June 27, 2008)

• In Saskatchewan, Goodale says Ontario and Quebec will pay: "While Saskatchewan is a place where many greenhouse gas emissions arise, the carbon tax liability for many of those emissions will fall outside this province, especially in Ontario and Quebec with their concentration of corporate head offices,'' Goodale said. (Leader-Post, June 27, 2008)

• Or, Goodale says Toronto and Calgary will pay: Even if the volume of greenhouse gases created in Saskatchewan by the oil and coal sectors is proportionately high, those who will pay for it are head offices in Calgary and Toronto, Goodale said (StarPhoenix, June 21, 2008)

• Or, Goodale says, Ontario and Alberta will pay: "While Saskatchewan is a place where many greenhouse gas emission arise, the carbon tax liability for many of those emissions will fall outside the province -- especially in Ontario an Alberta with their concentration of corporate head offices in the fossil fuels sector." (Leader-Post, June 28, 2008)

• In Nova Scotia, Mark Eyking say Alberta will pay: Last week Sydney-Victoria Liberal MP Mark Eyking defended his boss's green tax shift, saying it will extract a much heavier toll on companies operating in Alberta's oil sands than in the Atlantic provinces. (Cape Breton Post, June 28, 2008)

• In Nova Scotia, Scott Brison says the federal government will cover the costs: The federal Liberals are ready to cushion the impact the party's green tax shift would have on Nova Scotia, Grit MP Scott Brison said Tuesday (Chronicle-Herald, June 25, 2008)