Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault’s department commissioned in-house polling that asked Canadians if they were willing to pay a green surtax on air tickets or take fewer flights. The research made no mention of frequent travel by public office holders despite Cabinet's 2023 promise to reduce its air travel budget, according to Blacklock’s Reporter.“The department wanted to measure the public opinion of Canadians on a wide variety of issues,” said an omnibus public opinion research survey.“The surveys are a quick mechanism to understand stated behaviour or future behaviour, perceptions and attitudes of the Canadian public. Departmental teams are able to use this information to shape communications, policies and strategies.” .Trudeau touts carbon tax while burning 40 tons of CO2 in one flight to San Fran.A majority of Canadians surveyed said they did not book any air travel in the past year. Of those who did, 55% said they were vacationing or “visiting family or friends.”Asked, “How likely are you to consider actions to reduce your flight’s impact on the environment?”, 41% said they were willing to “replace business travel with virtual meeting options.” Other actions were less popular.Respondents sharply opposed green surtaxes on flights. Asked if they were willing to “pay an additional fee so airlines can purchase sustainable aviation fuel,” 63% were opposed. Asked if they would “pay an additional fee so airlines can purchase carbon emissions offsets,” 65% were opposed.Findings were drawn from questionnaires with 1,503 people nationwide. The environment department paid $40,000 for the survey by Angus Reid Group.“Suppose you have planned to take a flight for leisure travel that normally costs $500,” said the questionnaire.“If airlines were to charge an additional fee to reduce the environmental footprint of air travel, for example by planting trees to offset the carbon emissions of a flight or covering the extra costs of purchasing sustainable aviation fuel, how much would you be willing to pay for your flight?”A majority of respondents, 61% said, said they would pay nothing and “would not fly.” Only 30% expressed support for a green surtax providing it was $50 or less..Climate change ambassador burns through $254K in international travel.Cabinet in 2023 promised to cut air travel by public office holders “roughly 15%.” No figures have been disclosed to date confirming the target was met. Records instead detailed elaborate travel schedules.Then-Commons Speaker Anthony Rota in 2023 led a delegation on a $150,496 South Pacific junket to a conference of the Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth. Expenses included $116,696 for airfare and ground transportation.Canada’s Ambassador for Climate Change billed more than $254,000 in travel expenses since her appointment. “No nation in the world is immune from the consequences of climate change,” Ambassador Catherine Stewart told a 2023 conference. .Fossil fuel-opposing senator jetted more than 100K km to climate conferences.Governor General Mary Simon in 2023 flew to Finland to deliver a brief speech at a climate seminar. “Act now when it is most critical,” said Simon, who traveled with 15 guests including an official photographer.Liberal-appointed Sen. Rosa Galvez, former chair of the Senate Environment Committee and the Senate’s leading opponent of fossil fuels, since 2023 logged more than 100,000 kms in air travel to attend climate conferences from Casablanca to Mumbai.“The climate crisis is the greatest challenge of our time and will require an unprecedented transformation,” Galvez told the Senate in 2023.
Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault’s department commissioned in-house polling that asked Canadians if they were willing to pay a green surtax on air tickets or take fewer flights. The research made no mention of frequent travel by public office holders despite Cabinet's 2023 promise to reduce its air travel budget, according to Blacklock’s Reporter.“The department wanted to measure the public opinion of Canadians on a wide variety of issues,” said an omnibus public opinion research survey.“The surveys are a quick mechanism to understand stated behaviour or future behaviour, perceptions and attitudes of the Canadian public. Departmental teams are able to use this information to shape communications, policies and strategies.” .Trudeau touts carbon tax while burning 40 tons of CO2 in one flight to San Fran.A majority of Canadians surveyed said they did not book any air travel in the past year. Of those who did, 55% said they were vacationing or “visiting family or friends.”Asked, “How likely are you to consider actions to reduce your flight’s impact on the environment?”, 41% said they were willing to “replace business travel with virtual meeting options.” Other actions were less popular.Respondents sharply opposed green surtaxes on flights. Asked if they were willing to “pay an additional fee so airlines can purchase sustainable aviation fuel,” 63% were opposed. Asked if they would “pay an additional fee so airlines can purchase carbon emissions offsets,” 65% were opposed.Findings were drawn from questionnaires with 1,503 people nationwide. The environment department paid $40,000 for the survey by Angus Reid Group.“Suppose you have planned to take a flight for leisure travel that normally costs $500,” said the questionnaire.“If airlines were to charge an additional fee to reduce the environmental footprint of air travel, for example by planting trees to offset the carbon emissions of a flight or covering the extra costs of purchasing sustainable aviation fuel, how much would you be willing to pay for your flight?”A majority of respondents, 61% said, said they would pay nothing and “would not fly.” Only 30% expressed support for a green surtax providing it was $50 or less..Climate change ambassador burns through $254K in international travel.Cabinet in 2023 promised to cut air travel by public office holders “roughly 15%.” No figures have been disclosed to date confirming the target was met. Records instead detailed elaborate travel schedules.Then-Commons Speaker Anthony Rota in 2023 led a delegation on a $150,496 South Pacific junket to a conference of the Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth. Expenses included $116,696 for airfare and ground transportation.Canada’s Ambassador for Climate Change billed more than $254,000 in travel expenses since her appointment. “No nation in the world is immune from the consequences of climate change,” Ambassador Catherine Stewart told a 2023 conference. .Fossil fuel-opposing senator jetted more than 100K km to climate conferences.Governor General Mary Simon in 2023 flew to Finland to deliver a brief speech at a climate seminar. “Act now when it is most critical,” said Simon, who traveled with 15 guests including an official photographer.Liberal-appointed Sen. Rosa Galvez, former chair of the Senate Environment Committee and the Senate’s leading opponent of fossil fuels, since 2023 logged more than 100,000 kms in air travel to attend climate conferences from Casablanca to Mumbai.“The climate crisis is the greatest challenge of our time and will require an unprecedented transformation,” Galvez told the Senate in 2023.
