David Suzuki’s endorsement of Stephane Dion’s carbon tax initiative is a mixed blessing.

Suzuki’s outspokeness has made him a bit of a lightning rod for criticism that he’s an extremist, a granola munching tree-hugger.

I think Suzuki sees the global warming issue as a politico-scientific challenge. Both sides have to work together like a team of horses or nobody gets anywhere – ever.

If Dion truly has the fortitude to stand behind the carbon tax policy and if David Suzuki genuinely believes there is no other way, the two must work together and very publicly.

For his part, Dion has to show a degree of genuine leadership that’s rarely seen in the timid. He must refine his initiative, stand behind it, explain it, defend it and then persuade Canadians that it’s not just a nice idea but an imperative.

For his part, Suzuki must use his considerable professional influence to enlist a large body of the best scientific minds in our country to join him in supporting the carbon tax proposal. They need to lend their voices, their credentials to present a solid scientific consensus on the issue. They need to assist Mr. Dion by doing everything in their power to explain the merits of carbon taxation to a sceptical and sometimes ill-informed public.

I think the concept is workable. A lot of the already stated fears are misplaced. For example, there’s no reason that home heating fuel cannot be exempted from these taxes. I believe there are similar workarounds for other problems.

That’s not to say that carbon taxes won’t be felt. Of course they will as they must if they’re to work. That’s the whole point. The idea is to get people to change their energy consumption habits. If you must commute an hour each way to work, you might want to help us all out by ditching that SUV. Maybe you’ll suddenly see the merits of car pooling or mass transit. Maybe jobs will have to relocate closer to the available workforce as has happened elsewhere, relieving already chronic congestion in our metropolitan cores.

Here’s another thought. We don’t consume energy equitably so why should those who consume substantially more not expect to contribute more in tax? If you want to live in a 4,000 sq. ft. house in exburbia because that’s where you can afford that elevated lifestyle, don’t complain that it’s expensive to clog up the highways commuting downtown to work. That’s your choice, live with it. If you want to spend your weekends racing about the lake in your ski boat rather than kayaking, that’s your choice, live with it. If the taxes are unacceptable, change your lifestyle. Just don’t bitch to me about how you choose to live your life.