The Conservatives have called on the Canadian government to cancel its tax increase on beer, wine, and spirits. .“Whereas the Liberals are set to hike the escalator tax on beer, wine, and spirits by 6.3% without ANY parliamentary scrutiny on April 1st, 2023,” said the Conservatives in a Monday petition. .“Whereas Canadians are already suffering from the inflation and cost-of-living crisis the Liberals’ high-tax, high-spend agenda has caused.”.The Conservatives said this tax hike will “cost Canadians ANOTHER $45 million at a time when the cost of everything keeps going up.” .Canadian Taxpayers Federation Federal Director Franco Terrazzano said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s alcohol tax hike will “make life more expensive at the worst possible time, and it's fundamentally undemocratic.”.“If Trudeau and other members of Parliament think Canadians aren't paying enough tax, then they should at least have the spine to vote on the tax hike,” said Terrazzano. .“The Conservative party is right to push back against Trudeau's undemocratic tax hike.” .Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre said on December 11 the liquor tax is costing Canadians too much and promised to lower it to help them out. .READ MORE: WATCH: Poilievre complains about high liquor tax, says he will reduce it.“So if you’re tired of paying high carbon tax and high payroll tax and other tax increases that (Justin) Trudeau has imposed and it’s enough to drive you to drink, well you go out and buy a beer and what do you know,” said Poilievre. .“You’re spending even more tax on that, too.” .Inflation in Canada was at 6.8% on a year-over-year basis in November, down from a 6.9% gain in October, according to December 21 data from Statistics Canada. .READ MORE: Inflation in Canada falls to 6.8% in November.Excluding food and energy, prices rose 5.4% on a yearly basis in November, following a 5.3% gain in October. Slower price growth for gas and furniture was offset by higher costs for mortgage interest and rent..Food prices went up by 11.4% in November, compared to this time last year. Food inflation remained broad-based, with grocery prices rising at a faster rate than every other item every month for the past year.
