Bonnie Brown, Oakville MP

It is not an exaggeration to say that the rapid warming of our planet's biosphere is a crisis for humanity. If we continue with business as usual, the effects will be devastating. Coastal cities will be lost, droughts and famines will be frequent and tropical diseases will spread north and south. These will lead to mass population migrations, geopolitical instability and a global economy in tatters. Ignoring the issue as some political leaders do, will create a world for our kids and grandkids that is frightening to imagine.

But it doesn't have to be that way if we have the courage to take appropriate preventive measures now. The Liberal Green Shift is a bold step along this path. It is a forward-looking plan that is good for the environment and good for the economy.

It is powerful and simple: we will cut taxes on things we want more of, such as income, investment and innovation. And we will shift those taxes to what we all want less of: pollution, greenhouse gas emissions and waste.

Economists and environmentalists are virtually all agreed: pollution cannot be free.

If we are serious about combating global climate change, we must put a price on greenhouse gas emissions. By recognizing that carbon has a real cost, we as a society will shift our energy use to cleaner, greener alternatives.

This idea will also stimulate opportunities, leading us to invest in technologies that will cut emissions and transform our future. Whether we are talking about capturing and sequestering carbon from the oil sands, or developing new forms of renewable energy, Canada must become a world leader in these fields. The future is green, and if Canada is an innovator, Canadians will profit.

The Green Shift phases in a cost for carbon dioxide, starting at $10 per tonne in the first year, and increasing to $40 per tonne in the fourth year. This will apply at the wholesale level on fossil fuels such as coal and natural gas. There will be no increase to tax on gasoline at the pump because the existing 10-cent-per-litre excise tax is equal to a price on carbon of $42 per tonne.

An average household will pay $225 to $250 in direct costs in year four, mainly due to higher heating and electricity costs. But this will be offset by lower income taxes, a new child tax credit worth $350 per child per year, and other measures targeted at low- and middle-income Canadians, seniors, and other vulnerable Canadians.

This plan cuts across ideologies of left and right.

The idea of a green tax shift is supported by such diverse groups and individuals as the Conference Board of Canada, environmental leader David Suzuki, and the Canadian Council of Chief Executives, to name but a few.

Of course, Canada can't solve climate change on its own. It will take global co-operation which is why international agreements like the Kyoto Protocol are so important. Our government must join in good faith with other nations to address this challenge, honour our commitments and act.

We all have to do our part as the world economy transitions away from fossil fuel dependency. Those at the forefront will reap the economic rewards.

Let us all work together to build a richer, fairer, greener Canada.