A post from the current Associate Coordinator of the Alberta Teachers' Association (ATA) has resurfaced regarding his advocacy for a sales tax in the province.Jonathan Teghtmeyer posted the following on X back in 2020, "We could raise an additional $14.4 billion in revenue and still. be the lowest taxed province in Canada if we adopted Ontario's tax rates.""Yes, that would include a sales tax."The post discusses how the sales tax would reshape Alberta's economy..According to Kris Sims, Alberta Director of the Canadian Taxpayer Federation (CTF) "calling for an Alberta PST is obviously a standard stance of ATA."This comes after the ATA reportedly asked the government for $2 billion more in spending just last week.This is according to Finance Minister Nate Horner, in an interview with Corus Radio.It would mean a $4.6 billion deal instead of the $2.6 billion deal the government had proposed to the ATA..Sims, who wrote a column on the issue for the Edmonton Sun, stated a $4.6 billion deal would mean: "more debt or higher taxes.'So, putting two and two together, and similar to what Sims, said, "The ATA is on the record wanting a provincial sales tax in Alberta."And Sims is correct, she cites an ATA article on their own website stating: "The budget documents show that Alberta would collect $19 billion in additional revenue — and still be tied for the lowest taxed jurisdiction in Canada — if it followed B.C.’s tax scheme. It has more than $8 billion in tax room without even touching a sales tax.".To follow BC's PST would mean a 7% tax on almost everything.Similarly, Ontario's PST would add an 8% tax to almost everything.The ATA even has a 2018 infographic that states: “A five per cent sales tax would generate an additional $5 billion per year in provincial revenue.”As Sims points out, there is an issue with this: "the ATA would have to convince Albertans to vote for it.""Alberta has the Taxpayer Protection Act, a law that shields taxpayers from the creation of a PST."For the government implement a PST in Alberta, "it would need to convince taxpayers to vote for it in a referendum," stated Sims. .Sims told the Western Standard about how she came across the X post: "The province is already earmarked $2.6 billion, and now the union has come back and said, 'Oh, how about you give us $2 billion more?'""Where the heck do they think that this money is coming from?""Where do they think it's going to be generated from?""And I'm like, wait a minute.""I think I remember seeing one of their union people one time mentioning a PST."Initially, I thought it was just going to be a quick Twitter search to see one person.""I went to the actual website, the ATA website — It's full full of references. They've been straight up on the record for at least 10 years, saying we need a PST in Alberta.".This comes after the ATA rejected an enhanced mediation deal last week that government officials claim would have ended the strike.Premier Danielle Smith, Finance Minister Nate Horner, and Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides said in a statement they are "very disappointed" about the rejection of the deal.Officials also stated that the strike entering the three-week mark could pose "irreparable harm" to Alberta's education system.The government could legislate teachers to return to schools by Oct. 28.
