I know I risk being labelled as an "alt-right, bible-thumping, planet-hating, knuckle-dragging conspiracy theorist" for saying this, but I'm not sure Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's bold plan to skyrocket carbon taxes is actually a great idea.

You know the plan I'm talking about, right?

Trudeau says, over the next ten years, he will quintuple the carbon tax so that by 2030 you'll need a small bank loan to fill up your gas tank.  (And it might be a good idea to invest in extra thick wooly sweaters for those long cold winter nights.)

Admittedly, Trudeau's scheme is supported by a lot of smart people, who say we need such draconian measures if we hope to stop the impending threat of global warming.

Indeed, after word of the new carbon tax scheme got out, our leading media personalities began falling all over themselves to praise Trudeau as some sort of planet-saving Messiah.

Of course, it might just be coincidental that higher carbon taxes won't actually be much of an economic burden to leading media personalities.

Certainly, massive heating bills won't be much of a bother to Trudeau, who has been known to spend his winters on private island resorts in the Bahamas.

It'll be a different story, of course, for lower income Canadians, the kind of people who will soon have to make painful economic decisions should I cut back on groceries so I can pay my heating bill?

And yes, I know Trudeau is promising rebates to help less well-off Canadians cope with higher gas prices, but given the government's current dismal fiscal condition, — the projected deficit number is too high for mortal minds to comprehend — is that a promise the Liberals can afford to keep?

I'm dubious.

After all, Trudeau will be sorely tempted to cancel that rebate so he can re-direct that revenue to other important government projects such as buying new costumes for his next foreign trip.

But I digress.

My main point is I'm skeptical about Trudeau's carbon tax scheme.

For one thing, I'm wondering if, even with massive carbon taxes, Canada will actually reach its ambitious goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, since Trudeau's plan basically assumes we'll find alternatives to fossil fuels.

But will we?

We can't turn to nuclear power because that might upset Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg, so that leaves us powering our modern industrial nation with nothing but windmills and solar panels.

Can't see that working out.

Secondly, even if, thanks to crushingly painful taxes that could possibly derail our economy, we do manage to reach our emission limits, what happens if other countries don't follow our lead?

For instance, although Trudeau has claimed he admires China's dictatorial powers because it makes government over there more efficient, it's quite possible the Chinese communists might dedicate all that efficiency to jailing dissidents, repressing Uyghurs, and possibly planning an invasion of Taiwan, meaning they won't have time to worry too much about implementing carbon taxes.

Mind you, I'm certain the pro-carbon-tax crowd will read this and scream that I'm ignoring the "science".

And yes, I am ignoring science, because I'm not entirely certain that it's really a factor in the carbon tax plan.

In fact, I'd argue what really motivates carbon tax supporters is not science, but the need for psychological comfort.

Simply put they want to believe they're saving the world.

In other words, carbon tax policy is less about science and more about wishful thinking.