Electric Angels :Ganging up for the Environment:

Well, it's election time in Canada, and carbon emissions are a hot topic. So I decided to try and put each party's plans and ideas into a nutshell for comparison as I understand them, while trying to keep a non-partisan perspective.

Conservatives
The "Turning the Corner" plan has a goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2020. In short, the theory is that the government will apply tighter pollution restrictions on industry each year. Companies which fail to meet each year's benchmarks will receive a bill to purchase 'carbon credits'. Companies who meet and or exceed reduction regulations will recieve tradeable credits. Companies who took steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions between 1992 and 2006, prior to legislation, will receive additional credits.

Liberals
The Liberal Party is offering "The Green Shift". They are calling it as simple as it is effective, so on that note, not much needs to be said. This system works on the basis that you reduce taxes on things such as income, investments and innovation, and shift the tax cost over to things such as pollution, waste and greenhouse gas emissions. Profits generated from the pollution taxes will be re-invested into other initiatives such as poverty reduction.

NDP
The NDP is putting out what it is calling the "Cap and Trade" system for dealing with greenhouse gas emissions. It too works on a credit based system, however it's system is different from the conservatives. How this system works, is that Canada as a whole will only be allowed to emit a certain amount of greenhouse gas. This number will be reduced each year. In order for industry to be permitted to operate, they must purchase their credits in advance, rather than pay for credits after the fact. Each company will be required to have the appropriate licenses in advance to meet their annual carbon emissions. With only so many credits on the market, they will be auctioned off and profits will be spent on other eco-friendly initiatives.

Green Party
The Green Party is offering the "Green Tax Shift". In short it's quite similar to the Liberal plan of action mentioned above. The biggest difference I can see? The Green Party has been talking about it longer and would likely have spent a bit more time ironing out the details.

Either way, there's the brief low down and comparison of the various political parties action plans. I apologize if I got any of the details wrong. Go out, read, and make sure that you make an educated decision.