It was a day when the competing pledges went a bit…dumb, as the two main parties put out competing policies on the same issue, this time being energy efficiency home renovations. Andrew Scheer was out first in Jonquiere, Quebec, where he fleshed out the previously promised tax credit for said renovations. As a way of reducing GHGs, there is very little bang to be had for the bucks being expended on it, and when pressed by a CBC reporter, Scheer couldn’t give any answers in terms of megatonnes of carbon emissions reductions that need to happen for the Paris targets to be reached (which he still mouths that he’s interested in). Add in the fact that he’s promising to cut the HST on home heating is a signal for people to use more fuel (prices are incentives, remember), so the tax credit pays for people to cut back, which makes no economic sense. (But this is a right-flavoured populist party, so don’t expect market solutions any longer). Above all, the plan is simply to let people who are wealthy enough to own houses and pay for the renovations simply add value to said homes at the taxpayer’s expense, which puts a lie to the narratives about “affordability.”

And of course, the incentive to retrofit are even stronger w/ a carbon tax. But Tories won’t charge that, either.

Rather than adjust prices to reflect cost of carbon and let people choose for themselves how best to cut emissions, Tories subsidize particular choices … https://t.co/JJrCbCSkvD

— Andrew Coyne 🇺🇦🇮🇱🇬🇪🇲🇩 (@acoyne) September 25, 2019

Shortly thereafter, Justin Trudeau was in Port Coquitlam, BC, to showcase their green energy retrofit programme, which involves interest-free loans, free energy audits, cash incentives and grants, and would also be eligible for renters and landlords as opposed to just landlords. One of the more expensive elements of Trudeau’s pledge was for national flood insurance and enhanced EI benefits for natural disasters, which he says still need to be devised – but flood insurance is going to be costly. The Conservatives then attacked this plan by saying that people can’t necessarily afford the loans…but their plan requires people to pay for the renovations up front in order to get the tax credit, so it makes no sense. It’s starting to feel like we’re living through the stupidest election yet.

This attack doesn’t make sense. The Conservative plan also requires people to pay upfront for renovations that they’ll get a tax credit on.
This is the stupidest election. #Elxn43 pic.twitter.com/piEjzsaLnC

— Dale Smith (@journo_dale) September 25, 2019

https://twitter.com/EmmMacfarlane/status/1177041128991932417

Jagmeet Singh was in Burnaby to promise that he would bolster the RCMP’s efforts to combat money laundering as a way to make housing more affordable, particularly in British Columbia, plus a 15 percent foreign buyer’s tax on properties.

Other election stories:

• CBC’s fact-checker deems the Liberal claim that the country is on track to meet our 2030 climate goals to be misleading.
• Here are some experts explaining some of what will need to be done to achieve the net carbon neutral by 2050 target, and why that will be difficult and costly.
• Andrew Scheer says he would maintain the $45-million anti-racism strategy if the Conservatives form government.
• The National Post followed Stella Ambler campaigning in Mississauga as she tries to regain the seat she lost in 2015.
• The Green Party released the “costing” of their platform, which had some big holes in it. A former Parliamentary Budget Officer gave it a failing grade.
• There are accusations of shenanigans at the Ottawa-Orléans Liberal nomination meeting, which frankly at this point is unsurprising.
• Now-former Liberal MP Eva Nassif, who was denied her nomination, claims it’s because she didn’t laud Trudeau as a feminist. Trudeau denies this.
• The NDP candidate in Winnipeg Centre vows to bring back the UNDRIP bill.
• Jody Wilson-Raybould says she wants a minority government and to work with whoever is in government (the position that gives her most leverage).
• Hassan Guillet, who was denied the Liberal nomination in Saint-Léonard–Saint-Michel plans to run as an independent.
• Stephen Maher tries to divine some campaign ad strategy in noting the Liberal focus on online ads while the Conservatives favour phone banks.

Good reads:

• Chrystia Freeland ordered the status of Syria’s honorary consul in Montreal to be revoked and a review of his appointment.
• Former Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin says she had no desire to get involved on the SNC-Lavalin file, and thinks former judges can still give advice to governments.
• The potential for an “ice-free” Arctic will have consequences for Canada.
• An Albanian-Canadian went to China in the hopes of being reassured about the treatment of Uyghers, and found concentration camps instead.
• The Canadian Press’ Baloney Meter™ tests Andrew Scheer’s assertion that carbon taxes don’t work. (Spoiler: It’s a lot of baloney).
• Andrew Leach offers his assessment of the Liberal climate plan – what we know of it, in any case, as details remain vague.
• Supriya Dwivedi lambastes media for not portraying the dangers of climate change accurately, particularly when it comes to global security.
• Kevin Carmichael posits that Jason Kenney is the only leader doing something about long-term growth in reducing trade barriers (ignoring his “turn off the taps” bill).
• Andrew Coyne, not incorrectly, frames the election choices between bad policy ideas versus vague ones (Conservatives being the former, Liberals the latter).
• Susan Delacourt notes that with Trudeau’s brand tarnishing, candidates need to pick up the slack to get elected (which is how it should be).
• Chantal Hébert sketches out why a hung parliament with the Liberals in close second will be a nightmare scenario for the Conservatives.
• Colby Cosh parses the UK Supreme Court’s prorogation decision, and why it wouldn’t necessarily apply to Canada.

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