Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre called for the Canadian government to suspend all gas and diesel taxes from Victoria Day to Labour Day to give Canadians a summer break from inflation. After nine years of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Poilievre said life has become miserable for Canadians. “Justin Trudeau may be able to fly off to a luxury resort for a $230,000 taxpayer-funded vacation, but most Canadians are having to scale back or cancel their road trips after Trudeau’s carbon tax made fuel and groceries more expensive,” said Poilievre in a Thursday press release. The Conservatives said this move would suspend the carbon, fuel, and good and services taxes on fuels, which would lower gas prices by 35.6 cents per litre on average. It added families will have to pay $700 more for food this year than they did in 2023. Last year, food banks had to handle a record two million visits in one month, with one million more expected in 2024. One-tenth of Torontonians are relying on food banks to survive. Canadian Armed Forces members have complained they cannot afford food prices. In the middle of a cost of living crisis, Trudeau and the NDP decided to hike the carbon tax by 23%. It said this is one step in his plan to quadruple the carbon tax over the next six years, making life more expensive at the worst possible time. The Parliamentary Budget Officer has been clear most families will pay more in the carbon tax than they receive in the rebate. This year, the carbon tax will cost the average Canadian family $1,963. The Conservatives predicted suspending the fuel taxes would save the average family $670 over the summer. To pay for it, it called on the Canadian government to cut back on the more than $21 billion in spending on overpriced consultants, which has gone up almost 100% since 2015. It pledged to axe the carbon tax on all items for every one in a carbon tax election, but until that can happen, Trudeau must adopt this common sense measure to give Canadians a summer break. Poilievre concluded by saying Canadians “deserve relief, not more taxes.” “Families should be able to afford a simple road trip,” he said. “That’s why Justin Trudeau must axe his carbon tax, the GST on fuel, and the federal fuel tax between Victoria Day and Labour Day to bring home lower prices for every one.” Poilievre implored Liberal and NDP MPs in March to abandon the 23% carbon tax hike planned for April 1.READ MORE: Poilievre implores Liberal, NPD MPs to axe imminent 23% carbon tax hikeThe Canadian government announced in February it would be hiking the carbon tax further on Canadians — many who are struggling to put food on the table for their families.He said people are scavenging for food from dumpsters and organizing online to find items to eat.
