"Have you calculated your rebate?" is just the latest way to sell the carbon tax. I've got a better one.

Let's say the total amount raised by the carbon tax averages out to $1,000 per person. The easiest thing to do is send everyone with a SIN number a cheque for $1,000. (Actually just deposit it directly into their bank account.

The deposits could even be entered monthly to help people with their budgeting.) So if your carbon footprint is $500, you will be $500 ahead of the game. If your footprint is $2000, you will be short $1,000. If you don't pay income tax you get the full $1,000.

If you do pay income tax you might have to pay up to 3 or 4 hundred dollars back of the $1000 you received. In fact with the Old Age Pension they don't pay some people the whole amount but deduct income tax from it. In fact the system that handles OAS payments would work for carbon tax rebates.

There you have it! A simple solution that will not require a lot of management and no one can say anything about you getting a rebate because everyone gets it.

Bill Moses, Owen Sound