Alberta gets a carbon tax: Canadians view Trudeau's extra 7¢ per litre as punishment, bad for small business
After throwing the Alberta NDP out and electing United Conservative Party Premier Jason Kenney to repeal the carbon tax, Albertans have just had another carbon tax forced on them by Justin Trudeau.
However, the Liberals know the carbon tax is disliked. Their own data told them as much.
Former Liberal MP, Dan McTeague of Canadians for Affordable Energy told Global News he’s predicting drivers in Alberta will be paying about 7 cents more per litre for gasoline, and a rise of about 8.1 cents per litre for diesel.
“Effectively what Ottawa has done, despite Albertans saying no twice, [is that] you will be treated to a seven cent kick in the pants” McTeague said.
That’s just on fuel at the pump. That doesn’t include everything else you do that is touched by a carbon tax.
A Privy Council focus group found that Canadians do not like the carbon tax, don’t see the point, and think it’s a punishment.
Blacklock’s Reporter has the details in their story, based on documents that detail the government’s own research into Canadians attitudes about the carbon tax.
“Participants were somewhat ambivalent about the idea of using a price on pollution as an approach to help reduce combat emissions and combat climate change,” wrote researchers: “It was suggested the average Canadian seems to be hit most by this approach, especially lower-income individuals who would be disproportionately affected by an anticipated overall increase in the cost of living. A few also felt that pricing pollution was a punitive approach.”
Canadians had “limited understanding” of how higher fuel prices were supposed to benefit the environment beyond raising the cost of commuting and home heating. “Beyond that, there were general impressions the plan will adversely affect small businesses and individuals more than big polluters,” said Focus Groups.
The Privy Council’s own research concluded that people see the carbon tax as a cash grab.
However, the Liberals called this a “limited understanding”.
Silly Canadians, they just don’t understand how making literally everything more expensive will change the climate.
Sheila Gunn Reid
Chief Reporter
Sheila Gunn Reid is the Alberta Bureau Chief for Rebel News and host of the weekly The Gunn Show with Sheila Gunn Reid. She's a mother of three, conservative activist, and the author of best-selling books including Stop Notley.
https://twitter.com/SheilaGunnReid