It’s a case of, do you want the good news or the bad news, for Manitoba residents..First, the bad news – the province is set to reintroduce a carbon tax on residents..Now, the good news – the province is set to lower the PST from 7% to 6%..Tory Premier Brian Pallister made the announcement on Thursday that the province will implement its flat $25-per-ton Green Levy on July 1, the same day the PST will be lowered..“We have no choice but to act now to protect Manitobans from the rising federal government carbon tax they are bringing in this year,” he said..The premier had brought in the $25-per-ton levy in 2017, but withdrew it when the feds said it wasn’t high enough..The feds then brought in its own carbon tax on Manitoba and three other provinces, and that tax is set to rise to $50 a ton by 2022..“Of course I’m disappointed Ottawa didn’t see the wisdom of supporting a government which has been willing to expend the political capital of proposing to bring in a carbon tax when no other conservative government would,” Pallister said..“Ottawa has provided special exceptions and exemptions to many other provinces but refused to consider Manitoba’s significant clean hydro investments..“Unlike the federal government’s rising carbon tax, our flat made-in-Manitoba Green Levy will return all of the money and more to Manitobans with the second-lowest PST in Canada.”.The government has said the Green Levy will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least two megatonnes over five-years..An Alberta court recently ruled the federal carbon tax is unconstitutional. It will ultimately decided in the Supreme Court..By cutting the PST, Pallister said the average Manitoba family will save $359 a year..In a third-quarter report for Manitoba’s 2019-2020 fiscal year, the projected deficit is estimated to be $325 million at the end of the fiscal year, down from an estimated $360 million..The Canadian Taxpayers Federation slammed Pallister for bringing in the carbon tax..“This is the worst possible time for Premier Brian Pallister to be flip-flopping on his promise to fight the carbon tax when the Alberta courts just ruled that Ottawa’s heavy-handed tax is unconstitutional,” said Franco Terrazzano, Alberta director for the CTF.. Franco TerrazzanoFranco Terrazzano .“Pallister should be sticking up for taxpayers like other premiers, not making it harder for Manitobans to heat their homes, fuel their cars and grow their economy.”.Dave Naylor is the News Editor of the Western Standard.dnaylor@westernstandardonline.com.Twitter: Nobby7694
