Debate needed on carbon tax revenue

Re: What the federal carbon tax plan means for Alberta, Opinion, Oct. 25,

Trevor Tombe makes some interesting points about how the government will use revenue from the carbon backstop, and the questions it poses for Alberta. As Tombe points out, the backstop is revenue-neutral. Ninety per cent of the revenue is transferred back to households, while 10 per cent is used to support small businesses, remote communities, municipalities and similar entities.

Alberta’s carbon levy, by contrast, transfers 40 per cent of its revenue back to households, with the remaining funds used for energyefficiency projects, public transit and the like.

Albertans can and should debate how we should use revenues from the carbon levy. The federal backstop might ultimately be a better plan for us. But we can no longer debate whether we should act on climate at all. Surely that question is now ridiculous.

Andy Kubrin, Calgary