Green taxes & political promises

Leader of the tax-and-spend Liberal Green party of Canada Elizabeth May has come up with a comprehensive plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions [GHGs]: raise taxes.

The Greens mused over an environmental policy yesterday that would see them impose a 12 cent per litre tax on gasoline. May explains:

"Right now, the Green Party of Canada is the only Canadian political party prepared to state this obvious reality," May said yesterday. "We will use those carbon taxes to reduce taxes elsewhere."

Yeah sure. As a rule of thumb, I take it upon myself to be very apprehensive of any politician who raises taxes and then promises to reduce them. Right Dalton?

Anyway, after listening to the splashy promises above, not to mention, witnessing hundreds of politicians mislead the public, maybe it really is time for someone to introduce a Truth in Politics Act. Allow National Post columnist Andrew Coyne to explain:

It’s one I’ve offered before: a plan that would allow politicians to voluntarily assume legal liability for uttering false statements, much as people do in other walks of life, as when swearing out an affidavit, or posting a bond. The point is not to catch politicians out for every stray slip of the tongue. Indeed, it’s not even about punishing the dishonest, so much as rewarding the honest, by making it possible for the voters to trust in politicians’ honesty once again.

How would it work? Suppose there were a provision in the elections law allowing politicians to "opt in" to certain legal consequences with regard to a given public statement, should it later be found to be false. No need to prove fraud, or damages. Just that it was false. “In releasing my platform today,” a party leader might say, “I invoke Article 19 of the Elections Act.” As I say, it would be like swearing an oath. This is no more -- it is actually considerably less -- than the standard politicians expect of other professions, such as lawyers or corporate officers.

Not a bad idea. And with politicians, both provincial and federal, throwing around a smorgasbord of promises these days --- from tax cuts to moose fences --- I couldn't think of a better way to keep them in check. (Hat tip Gerry Nichols)