The so-called “price on pollution” put forth by the Trudeau Liberals has been a point of contention in recent years, with Conservatives pointing to the carbon tax as one reason for increased food and fuel costs.
A new report from the parliamentary budget officer has pegged the amount that Canadians will pay this year solely on GST on the carbon tax at $486M. Over the next eight years, Canadians will pay $6B according to the report’s findings.
As reported by CTV News, Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound MP Alex Ruff tabled a private member’s bill four months ago in an attempt to remove the GST from the carbon tax.
Speaking about the controversial legislation, Ruff said, “The carbon tax is a tax plan, not an environmental plan. The government has yet to meet an emissions target, so why are we punishing Canadian taxpayers with a tax on a tax?”
The Trudeau Liberals are rebranding the unpopular carbon tax in a bid to save face among their dwindling support base.https://t.co/G9i2xebqnQ
— Rebel News Canada (@RebelNews_CA) February 16, 2024
In contrast, Liberal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault claimed the carbon tax is working, although he conceded it is a slow process.
Commenting on the carbon tax, Guilbeault said, “For the first time ever, Canada is on track to surpass our climate targets for 2026. We have the best emissions record of G7 countries over the past two years. The reality is we can fight climate change and pursue measures that make life more affordable at the same time.”
Many Canadians appear not to be convinced by Guilbeault’s claims. As reported by the Toronto Star, polling from Abacus Data shows that in Ontario 45% of respondents thought the carbon tax was a bad policy while only 37% thought it was a good policy.
Furthermore, 49% of respondents in Atlantic provinces thought it was a bad policy while just 31% believed it was a good policy according to the polling.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has made “axing” the carbon tax one of the primary focuses of his campaign, citing the controversial measure as contributing to Canada’s cost-of-living crisis.
Justin Trudeau’s Christmas gift to one farm in my riding: $16,000 in carbon taxes in a month.
Wonder why you can’t afford food?
Sign here to take the tax off: https://t.co/3JibVFznbc pic.twitter.com/V6PH9vNAw7
— Pierre Poilievre (@PierrePoilievre) December 14, 2023
According to CTV News, MP Ruff further criticized the tax, saying, “It’s not revenue neutral. You’re not getting the money back, and the whole purpose, if you go to the Environment Canada website, it states the purpose of the carbon tax is to change people’s behaviour by making things more expensive so that we do something different.”
The Trudeau Liberals have made the carbon tax their flagship climate policy. But only time will tell how Canadians’ approval or lack thereof for the controversial tax will impact the the next federal election.
