More on Dion

The Sault Star - Ontario, CA

He managed to quell some criticism when he decided in June to stake his political fate on a single bold measure: a complicated plan to impose a carbon tax on fossil fuels, offset by income tax cuts and tax benefits for the most vulnerable.

The details of the so-called Green Shift have met with mixed reviews -- accolades from environmentalists and some economists, fierce denunciations from farmers, truckers and some provinces who fear they'll be disproportionately whacked by increased fossil fuel costs.

And the proposal has presented the Tories with a juicy target. As Prime Minister Stephen Harper so eloquently put it, Dion's plan would "screw everybody'' by imposing a "tax on everything.''

Still, it's helped Dion's bid to redefine himself as a visionary leader with the courage and conviction to tackle climate change, despite the obvious political risks.

Note that Dion seems already to be backing away from his own Green Shift.