Franco Terrazzano, federal director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, told MPs the industrial carbon tax is “the worst of all worlds,” warning it raises costs for Canadians while failing to deliver meaningful results.

“It’s going to make life more expensive here in Canada. It’s going to drive Canadian jobs south of the border — and it doesn’t work,” Terrazzano testified, adding that Canadians have rejected government claims that carbon pricing leaves them better off.

The testimony came under questioning from Liberal MP Bruce Fanjoy, who pointed to climate-related challenges across the country, including drought affecting prairie farmers, flooding in British Columbia’s Lower Mainland, and destructive wildfires, and pressed Terrazzano on how critics would respond to those realities.

Terrazzano pushed back, arguing that increasing costs through taxation does nothing to help Canadians facing those pressures.

“Making life more expensive in Canada with an industrial carbon tax that doesn’t work doesn’t help those farmers,” he said.

Conservative MPs seized on the testimony to reinforce their opposition to the policy. David Bexte questioned Terrazzano on the real-world impact of the tax, prompting the response that it leads to “higher prices and fewer jobs.”

Meanwhile, tensions in the room escalated when Grant Jackson accused Liberal members of laughing during witness testimony.

“I find it incredibly disrespectful,” Jackson said, calling out what he described as dismissive behaviour during the proceedings.