British Columbia introduced a carbon tax of $10 per tonne of carbon in 2008, rising by $5 per tonne each year until 2012. In 2011, with the tax at $25 per tonne, Environics surveyed 1025 British Columbians about the tax and found that 54% supported it. A politician claimed, “Over half of British Columbians support the carbon tax.”

a) At what significance level is this statement statistically sound?

b) Comment on the ethics of this statement in relation to the ASA Ethical Guidelines summarized in Appendix C. How could the statement be improved?

c) In 2013, Environics surveyed 250 British Columbians and found that 52% supported the tax. Has support for the tax gone down between 2011 and 2013 at the 10% significance level?