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Macleans.ca

Canada’s magazine

The carbon pricing debate in the United States

In 2007, economist Greg Mankiw wrote an op-ed for the New York Times to argue for a carbon tax. Mr. Mankiw is now an economic advisor to Mitt Romney. Mr. Mankiw is, in fact, among three advisors to Mr. Romney who have advocated carbon pricing (though Mr. Romney officially opposes a carbon tax).

What if the United States ends up with a carbon tax?

The American and Canadian administrations are apparently in agreement that the two countries need to harmonize their carbon pricing schemes, but what if, as the likes of Matthew Yglesias, Ezra Klein, Kevin Drum and Michael Bloomberg have argued this week, the United States ends up pursuing a carbon tax? Klein says it’s might be the best option.

What goes on here

It presently is garden party season in Ottawa—the Speaker’s reception at Kingsmere was last evening, the leader of the opposition hosts at Stornoway tonight, there’s probably something at 24 Sussex at some point. The press gallery is in these cases invited to mix with the political class in smart casual wear and, at least in the case of 24 Sussex, an inflatable castle is provided for children.