The official opposition has joined the cross-country chorus demanding Justin Trudeau stop Wednesday’s carbon tax increase..Shadow Finance Minister Pierre Poillevre said with the country consumed by the coronavirus crisis, now is not the time for a new tax..“Higher home heating and energy prices will hurt households whose incomes have already plummeted,” Poillevre said in a statement..“Higher energy prices will force businesses to cut jobs, leaving manufacturing and energy workers even worse off than before..“When the COVID-19 lockdown ends, Canada will desperately need investment to restart our factories, mines and transportation businesses, so workers can return to their jobs. Another hike in input taxes will only drive investors to put their money to work elsewhere and keep our workers unemployed longer..“In times of crisis the government needs to drop its ideology and do what is practical. That means stopping the carbon tax hike. Workers, consumers and small businesses need a break now more than ever.”.On Monday the Canadian Taxpayers Federation also called for the tax hike to be scrapped..The Trudeau government has showed no sign of wavering..The federal tax is currently $20 a tonne and will rise $10 a year, on April 1 of each year until it hits $50 a tonne in 2022..The federal carbon tax is set to rise from 4.4 cents per litre of gasoline to 6.6 cents..B.C. has already paused its planned carbon tax increase..Alberta Premier Jason Kenney has pleaded with Ottawa to delay planned hikes to the national carbon tax on April 1..“Please, stop doing harm… throw us a lifeline here,” Kenney said at an Edmonton press conference last Wednesday..“It absolutely makes no sense….do no harm.”.Dave Naylor is News Editor of the Western Standard.dnaylor@westernstandardonline.com.Twitter: @Nobby7694
The official opposition has joined the cross-country chorus demanding Justin Trudeau stop Wednesday’s carbon tax increase..Shadow Finance Minister Pierre Poillevre said with the country consumed by the coronavirus crisis, now is not the time for a new tax..“Higher home heating and energy prices will hurt households whose incomes have already plummeted,” Poillevre said in a statement..“Higher energy prices will force businesses to cut jobs, leaving manufacturing and energy workers even worse off than before..“When the COVID-19 lockdown ends, Canada will desperately need investment to restart our factories, mines and transportation businesses, so workers can return to their jobs. Another hike in input taxes will only drive investors to put their money to work elsewhere and keep our workers unemployed longer..“In times of crisis the government needs to drop its ideology and do what is practical. That means stopping the carbon tax hike. Workers, consumers and small businesses need a break now more than ever.”.On Monday the Canadian Taxpayers Federation also called for the tax hike to be scrapped..The Trudeau government has showed no sign of wavering..The federal tax is currently $20 a tonne and will rise $10 a year, on April 1 of each year until it hits $50 a tonne in 2022..The federal carbon tax is set to rise from 4.4 cents per litre of gasoline to 6.6 cents..B.C. has already paused its planned carbon tax increase..Alberta Premier Jason Kenney has pleaded with Ottawa to delay planned hikes to the national carbon tax on April 1..“Please, stop doing harm… throw us a lifeline here,” Kenney said at an Edmonton press conference last Wednesday..“It absolutely makes no sense….do no harm.”.Dave Naylor is News Editor of the Western Standard.dnaylor@westernstandardonline.com.Twitter: @Nobby7694
