Ottawa Journal by David Tilson MP — Carbon tax will make life more expensive

November 28, 2016 · 0 Comments

It’s widely recognized by my Conservative colleagues and all Canadians that Canada must do its part in reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs).
However, it shouldn’t be at the expense of our economy.
A carbon tax is a tax on the GHGs that are generated from burning fuels like coal, petroleum and natural gas in hopes of discouraging their use. While these fuels all produce GHGs, they’re also needed to drive our cars, heat our homes and produce our electricity.
The problem with this is it doesn’t matter how much these fuels cost us, we still need to consume them every day. It doesn’t matter how much a fill-up at the gas tank is, many of us still have to drive. It also doesn’t matter how much our natural gas or hydro bills go up, we still have to heat our homes. This is how we know a carbon tax on the consumer is not an effective way to reduce GHGs — and it certainly will hit our bank accounts.
Based on numbers from the British Columbia and Alberta governments, the current Liberal government’s Carbon Tax will add 11 cents per litre at the pumps. The Canadian Tax Journal determined it will add at least 15 per cent to our natural gas bill and almost 10 per cent to our hydro bills.
Meanwhile, a carbon tax will be a huge hit to Canada’s farm sector, which relies on these fuels. CIBC noted some experts say the total additional cost to a farm would be $6 per acre. When the cost to farmers goes up, so does the cost of food to consumers.
And by how much will this Carbon Tax reduce GHGs? The current Liberal government isn’t saying. Before raiding Canadians’ pocketbooks, the current government should provide data on what impact this tax will have on the environment and on each sector of the economy.
In total, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation said the Liberal Carbon Tax will cost the average family more than $2,500 every year. This is unacceptable. Protecting the environment can be done without hitting families with a heavy-handed tax.
The Conservative Official Opposition will continue to push the current Liberal government to stop this tax grab and make life more affordable for Canadians. tilson