I live in B.C. where the carbon tax is responsible for higher energy and consumer prices, and has accomplished no significant reduction in emissions of any relevance. In fact, BC Liberal leadership candidate George Abbott recently suggested the carbon tax should go to a referendum to be cancelled.
Nevertheless, according to a new survey conducted by Leger Marketing, four out of five Canadians believe in global warming, and a majority would be willing to pay a $600 annual carbon tax. That’s in stark contrast to just 15 per cent of Americans who would pay for a carbon tax.
What the survey found is that belief in man-made climate change is largely dependent on the left-right dichotomy:
Canadians who described themselves as supporters of the federal Liberals or the Bloc Quebecois were the most likely to believe in climate change — even more so, surprisingly, than Green party supporters.
Of the Liberal supporters surveyed, 91 per cent said they believed in climate change, compared to 90 per cent of Bloc voters, 87 per cent of Greens and 84 per cent of New Democrat supporters.
A significantly smaller percentage of Conservative voters surveyed, 64 per cent, gave credence to global warming.
In the U.S., 69 per cent of Democrats and just 41 per cent of Republicans said they believed the science.
I’m somewhat surprised that two-thirds of Canadian Conservative voters believe in climate change, but then again their own political party has advocated for action on climate change, so maybe the surprise isn’t warranted.
In unrelated news, weather has been so cold in Florida and Mexico that tomato prices have nearly doubled.
I find the poll a little hard to take seriously as the numbers are against the trend of the last while showing belief in climate change dropping nearly as fast as in the U.K and U.S.A. Perhaps the nature of the questions had something to do with it.
Richard I like you find this to be a little hard to believe, but on the other hand when you have federal ministers advocating this crap you can bet some will believe.My first reaction was what was the wording for the questions?? As you know, if you are looking for a certain result the type of questions will give the desired answer… SteveO
I’d like to see the survey questions too.
This from Yes Prime Minister:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gMcZic1d4U
I’d also like to see Stephen Harper ask for an open debate on Global Warming.
It’s all in the fine print. Technically, I’m a conservative who believes the climate is changing. I believe it has always changed and always will. What I’m not is someone who believes that humans can do a damn thing about it. Actually, I’m a little selfish because I happen to think a little global warming would be a good thing for our little frozen piece of the world. So, no, I’m not among those who would pay anything to try to stop it.
The poll is a load of horse-hooey.
Until we know WHO paid for the poll . . . we’ll you know the rest.
“Since million of people are suffering from climate disasters like Hurricane Katrina, would you support increased carbon taxes that would save everyone, make pig farts smell nice and put rainbows in the sky each morning?
This is just typical Canadian feel-goodism. We ALWAYS prefer to pretend to ourselves that we are the bestest people anywhere but are just too dang modest to say so out loud. Any cause will do to serve the beast. Anyone remember Darfur ? Climate change pushes all the ‘rught’ buttons.
And as for that $600.00 thingy. Just try to collect it in practice rather than only in theory.
I found a poll from Ipsos in Dec 2009 that said only 50% of Canadians believed in the hooey of Al Gore. In just a little more than a year with nothing but bad news for the pro-warming lobby, it is up to 80%. Sounds like the poll was done exclusively in the Carelton University Students Union Building.
“four out of five Canadians believe in global warming,”
And THAT is why I harp on like a nasty old man on the conservative blogs that keep insisting that “we’ve won the war on climate change”.
We’ve made small inroads, but the majority of Canadians, who don’t frequent The Blogging Tories,believe what they are told by sources they trust,and David Suzuki is the MOST TRUSTED MAN IN Canada.
I have spoken personally with my MP and his staff about AGW/CC,and they are obviously of the “the jury’s still out” school of thought.
I’m beginning to wish Jean Chretien was still Leader of the Liberals, his attitude of “tell ‘em what they want to hear,but do nothing” as he did with the Kyoto Accord is much preferable to today’s leaders who want to be remembered as the politician who changed the world.
It was paid for by the Public Policy Forum and Sustainable Prosperity.
http://www.ppforum.ca/
http://www.sustainableprosperity.ca/Home+EN
There’s a huge difference in believing in climate change or believing that climate change is caused by man & that taxing us will stop it.
Since we know that the climate has gone through many changes before man & after, & will continue to do so even if every human on earth were to disappear; I’d say that most of us DO believe in climate change. That certainly does not make us believers of Al Gore.
The earth has been warmer – & colder many times over the course of history & history has already shown us (common sense should also) that the warmer periods are more beneficial to life. Plants, animals & yes, even human life. A bit of warming would be good for us. Taxing us will not, can not, & never will – stop climate change.
No, there isn’t any amount of money that will stop Nature..but all that coin will make lefties and elitists criminally rich at the expense of You and Me…and THAT, my friend, is what “AGW” IS all about.
Well said and right on the button.