The federal government is not pulling an April Fools joke by raising the carbon tax, alcohol taxes, and MPs salaries on April 1, according to the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF).. Franco Terrazzano CTF Federal DirectorFranco Terrazzano, CTF Federal Director .“The joke is on taxpayers as MPs take more money out of Canadians pockets the same day they take higher pay,” said CTF Federal Director Franco Terrazzano..On April 1, the federal carbon tax increases by 14 cents per litre of gasoline and 12 cents per cubic metre of natural gas..According to the Parliamentary Budget Officer, the average family will pay up to $710 in carbon tax after the carbon tax rebates..READ MORE Study shows federal carbon tax hits Alberta, Sask families hardest.MPs voted a motion which called on the “government to cancel its April 1, 2023, tax increase on beer, wine, and spirits,” as federal alcohol taxes are increasing by 2%..Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, MPs pay has increased three times, with the fourth pay raise on April 1..The MP pay hike means an extra $5,100 for a backbench MP to an additional $10,200 for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, according to federal government contract data obtained by the CTF..A CTF Leger poll found that four out of every five Canadians opposed the MPs pay increase..READ MORE Taxpayers poll shows majority of Canadians opposed MPs pay hikes.“Canadians are struggling to afford gas and groceries, so the least MPs could do is cancel this cruel April Fools joke by stopping their pay increase and scrapping the tax hikes,” said Terrazzano.
