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This is a sobering fact, but one worth emphasizing: no matter what Canada does, we’re simply too small a country to have an impact. In fact, even if we could magically bring our emissions down to zero, it would only take two more months of Chinese emissions to cancel that reduction out, too.

In response to this harsh reality, some pro-carbon taxers argue that it’s still important that Canada show “leadership,” to boost our credibility when trying to persuade other countries to follow our lead. Yet this argument rests on some flimsy logic. Either the governments of other countries, China included, agree that climate change is something that needs to be addressed, or they do not. If they do, they already have all the incentive they need to act.

As the largest emitter, China knows its impact is decisive and that no amount of action by smaller countries such as Canada can have comparable impact. And if it does not agree that climate change is a problem, Canada’s decision to impose a hefty tax on its own people is unlikely to change its mind.

The Trudeau government’s decision to tax Canadians into submission is likely to achieve many things: it will strain the budgets of millions of Canadian households; it will devastate thousands of Canadian businesses; and it will fill government coffers with billions of dollars in new tax revenues. The one thing it definitely won’t do is impact global climate change.

National Post

Aaron Wudrick is the federal director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.