B.C. carbon tax rolls out on Canada Day

On Canada Day, British Columbians will likely be paying the highest gas prices in the country, thanks to a new provincial carbon tax that adds almost 2.5 cents to a litre of fuel and has turned service stations into the province's latest political battle ground.

Motorists are doing more than filling up at their local gas stations. They're fuming about gas politics.

Premier Gordon Campbell admits his government has a selling job to do on its new green tax, the first escalating consumer tax on carbon in Canada.

"The government should look at themselves first before they look at tackling little guys like me," said Trish O'Brien as she filled up her fuel efficient Suzuki Aerio. "I do what I can. I recycle everything that's not nailed down. I drive a small car and take the bus when I can, and I walk."

Seriously, this much-misunderstood carbon tax is being blown into a major issue for all the wrong reasons. In dollar terms, it's actually a pretty innocuous thing. What it adds up to is that every time you fill up the tank it's going to cost you the amount of a cup of coffee extra -- and most of the cash will be recycled back to most of us through provincial income tax cuts. This is a major controversy?

No. Actually, the real problem with the carbon tax isn't the price tag.

It's flaw is that it's a great academic theory, potentially a powerful tool to change our gas-guzzling ways. But in the real world of politics it's going to be almost impossible for any politician to implement in a serious way at the gas pump.

I am sure most of you in British Columbia got your $100.00 Environmental Cheque in the mail this week?

Now our illustrious Premier sans Disco Dance shoes, tries a new mode of style to dazzle us with brilliance, but baffle us with BullPOO!!  With Charts, Calculators, Spreadsheets, lots of distracting Hand waving, his New style is more akin to a Doug Henning Magic Show, with a touch of Circ de Soliel thrown in.

As we watch the show spellbound, Government minions are in the audience silently picking our pockets, after all you didn't think that $100.00 the Premier gave you was Free Money, Heavens NO, that was your Tax Dollars returning to sender.  Of course $100.00 today in the bank will net an interest rate of 0.03 cents per annum, but in Government legalise, when the Government gives you $100.00 of your own Money, they stand to reap tenfold in interest they will get back from you in carbon taxes for doing so.  Certainly doesn't seem a fair rate of interest for you, but then your Government never tells you the whole PACKAGE!  So sit back, shut up and watch the Show!