Canadians of all demographics and provincial politicians from all parties are speaking out against carbon tax hikes because it makes the necessities of life more expensive — such as fuelling up our cars, heating our homes and filling our families’ fridges.The last hold outs? New Democrats and Liberals in Ottawa.Every Conservative provincial premier has spoken out against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s upcoming April 1 carbon tax hike. And so has the only Liberal provincial premier.“I continue to stand up for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians against the federal carbon tax,” Premier Andrew Furey said. “I am now asking Ottawa to pause its planned increase to the carbon tax … as the high cost of living is enough of a burden on families.”Liberal MLAs in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia have also opposed the federal carbon tax hike. Even the leader of Ontario’s provincial Liberal party is joining the carbon tax fight.“We will not have an Ontario carbon tax,” Bonnie Crombie said.This follows earlier resistance from Liberal MP Ken McDonald, who voted on a motion in the House of Commons to “repeal all carbon taxes.”“It is putting a bigger burden on people who are now struggling with an affordability crisis,” McDonald told CBC, explaining why he voted against the carbon tax. “I’ve had people tell me they can’t afford to buy groceries, they can’t afford to heat their homes.”NDP leaders across the country are speaking out too.“The federal carbon tax is not a silver bullet,” Manitoba NDP Premier Wab Kinew said, noting Ottawa should “revisit the way that the federal carbon tax backstop is being implemented in Manitoba.”NDP leadership hopeful and former Alberta deputy premier Sarah Hoffman said, “I think the consumer carbon tax is dead.”Those who think it would be sacrilege for New Democrats to repudiate carbon taxes have forgotten the federal party’s past.“The well-documented reality is, the NDP has opposed a carbon tax in the past and continues to do so now,” the NDP said in 2012, when it eclipsed the Liberals to form the Official Opposition.“Canada is a cold place and heating your home really isn’t a choice,” former NDP leader Jack Layton said. “We shouldn’t punish people and that’s what a carbon tax does.”Even the party that brought in Canada’s first carbon tax, BC United (formerly the BC Liberal Party), is now fighting future hikes.Politicians are speaking out because the feds lost the people.Seven-in-10 Canadians oppose the upcoming carbon tax hike, according to a Leger poll commissioned by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. The vast majority of Canadians, across every province and all demographics, oppose the upcoming hike.That means the Trudeau government has even lost Canadians who are Liberal, NDP or Green supporters.It’s easy to understand why.The Parliamentary Budget Officer is the government’s independent, non-partisan budget watchdog. The PBO analyzed all costs of the carbon tax, and all benefits Canadians receive from rebates.The PBO found that after the April 1 hike, the carbon tax will cost the average family up to $911 more than they get back in rebates every year.Today, about 60% of families are worse off, even with the rebates. By 2030, about 80% of families in most provinces will be worse off.The Conservative Party is forcing votes on the carbon tax hike in the House of Commons this week.Outside of Ottawa, opposition to carbon taxes is now multi-partisan. The question is, will Liberal and NDP MPs stick up for their constituents and oppose the carbon tax hike? Or will they vote in line with the prime minister and make life more expensive?Franco Terrazzano is the Federal Director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation
Canadians of all demographics and provincial politicians from all parties are speaking out against carbon tax hikes because it makes the necessities of life more expensive — such as fuelling up our cars, heating our homes and filling our families’ fridges.The last hold outs? New Democrats and Liberals in Ottawa.Every Conservative provincial premier has spoken out against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s upcoming April 1 carbon tax hike. And so has the only Liberal provincial premier.“I continue to stand up for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians against the federal carbon tax,” Premier Andrew Furey said. “I am now asking Ottawa to pause its planned increase to the carbon tax … as the high cost of living is enough of a burden on families.”Liberal MLAs in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia have also opposed the federal carbon tax hike. Even the leader of Ontario’s provincial Liberal party is joining the carbon tax fight.“We will not have an Ontario carbon tax,” Bonnie Crombie said.This follows earlier resistance from Liberal MP Ken McDonald, who voted on a motion in the House of Commons to “repeal all carbon taxes.”“It is putting a bigger burden on people who are now struggling with an affordability crisis,” McDonald told CBC, explaining why he voted against the carbon tax. “I’ve had people tell me they can’t afford to buy groceries, they can’t afford to heat their homes.”NDP leaders across the country are speaking out too.“The federal carbon tax is not a silver bullet,” Manitoba NDP Premier Wab Kinew said, noting Ottawa should “revisit the way that the federal carbon tax backstop is being implemented in Manitoba.”NDP leadership hopeful and former Alberta deputy premier Sarah Hoffman said, “I think the consumer carbon tax is dead.”Those who think it would be sacrilege for New Democrats to repudiate carbon taxes have forgotten the federal party’s past.“The well-documented reality is, the NDP has opposed a carbon tax in the past and continues to do so now,” the NDP said in 2012, when it eclipsed the Liberals to form the Official Opposition.“Canada is a cold place and heating your home really isn’t a choice,” former NDP leader Jack Layton said. “We shouldn’t punish people and that’s what a carbon tax does.”Even the party that brought in Canada’s first carbon tax, BC United (formerly the BC Liberal Party), is now fighting future hikes.Politicians are speaking out because the feds lost the people.Seven-in-10 Canadians oppose the upcoming carbon tax hike, according to a Leger poll commissioned by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. The vast majority of Canadians, across every province and all demographics, oppose the upcoming hike.That means the Trudeau government has even lost Canadians who are Liberal, NDP or Green supporters.It’s easy to understand why.The Parliamentary Budget Officer is the government’s independent, non-partisan budget watchdog. The PBO analyzed all costs of the carbon tax, and all benefits Canadians receive from rebates.The PBO found that after the April 1 hike, the carbon tax will cost the average family up to $911 more than they get back in rebates every year.Today, about 60% of families are worse off, even with the rebates. By 2030, about 80% of families in most provinces will be worse off.The Conservative Party is forcing votes on the carbon tax hike in the House of Commons this week.Outside of Ottawa, opposition to carbon taxes is now multi-partisan. The question is, will Liberal and NDP MPs stick up for their constituents and oppose the carbon tax hike? Or will they vote in line with the prime minister and make life more expensive?Franco Terrazzano is the Federal Director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation
