Post #2313085
2026-05-05 12:43 UTC
@liztai@hachyderm.io @EllenInEdmonton@yeg.bike
That's my point though.
We had an excellent program where we taxed carbon and redistributed it evenly, no questions asked.
As long as you filed taxes, you got a cheque no matter how much you paid.
Because I don't pay gas at the pump, and I switched to heat pumps, my carbon tax was effectively zero (yes I know I pay it indirectly through purchases etc). I still got a cheque (deposit ) every quarter.
It benefitted the poor because they got a cheque not linked to gas. But the SUV driving Petro loving right wing screamed bloody murder. The banks, who own a lot of Petro positions, refused to put "carbon tax rebate" on the direct deposits so people didn't even know they were getting it. The rw hit job was so intense the program ended after a few years. The government was truly balless in capitulation.
Farm country depends on fuel though as distances are large. Trucks are huge and they capitulated to a voter base they would never win anyway.
Replies (1)
-
@liztai@hachyderm.io 2026-05-05 12:49
It's complicated, and the situation in Malaysia isn't really the same tbh. For one corporations don't get the subsidies and the govt is planning to introduce a tiered system in the future. Not to mention Chinas oil is also heavily subsidised. (What I am trying to say is maybe the idealised western oriented view of subsidies may be flawed.) Ideally something will come out of this and subsidies will be removed, but it will probably take us many years. @chu@climatejustice.social @EllenInEdmonton@yeg.bike