It's Time to Support a Carbon Tax in British Columbia

I'm a member of Voters Taking Action on Climate Change (VTACC), a local citizens group lobbying the BC government to take action on climate change. The organization has successfully lobbied to stop the coal plants and is now campaigning for a carbon tax. In a recent budget consultation process, the government received an unexpected call for action to create a carbon tax. Here are the details:

The province's Finance Minister, Carol Taylor, has asked her staff to report to her on the topic of a carbon tax by the end of this month, and she will likely decide before Christmas whether or not to proceed with a tax in the 2008 provincial budget. She has already indicated in front of the media that the option of a carbon tax is on the table. It is clear that Ms. Taylor has floated the idea to gauge public response, and she needs to know that there is broad public support if she is to move forward. There is no doubt that those opposed are urging her to avoid introducing a tax, or to bring forward a measure with no real substance as a nod to public concern. Please take the time today to send a message to Minister Taylor telling her that you want our province to take a leadership role on this issue. If you are on Facebook, you can join our BC Needs a Carbon Tax! group.

In both links above you'll find all you need to know to quickly send off your message -- contact information, key points to make in your letter, a sample letter for inspiration, and background information if you want to learn more.

Together, our actions are moving the carbon tax initiative forward -- during its recent public consultations the finance committee received an unprecedented 500 submissions in support of a carbon tax, many of them from you. You can read the committee's response to this input here. In a short time, citizen input in this province has shifted a tax on carbon emissions from a political non-starter to a clear possibility, and everyone who took the time to write to the committee should be congratulated. However, we're not done yet.

Our time is short, and we are at a pivotal point in this process -- please take a moment now to help deliver an important Christmas present for BC, the planet and our children's future.

Andrea, David, Kevin, and Tom for the VTACC collective.

P.S. -- We hope to see many of you at the Wired Monk next Friday night. While enjoying the music, company and holiday cheer we aim to gather 100 letters in support of the carbon tax to send in to Minister Taylor.