Imagine your favourite sports team is going up against its greatest rival. Suddenly, the referee announces that for every drink of water taken by a player, the team will receive a penalty. Of course, the players protest, but to no avail. They are scolded for their disruptive behaviour and other punitive measures are threatened.
How long do you think your team will be able to play before they must succumb to their need for hydration and therefore find themselves subjected to unwarranted penalties?
Likewise, when a government targets its citizens’ necessities like gas, heat, and groceries, how long do you suppose a country can go before problems emerge?
The Liberal carbon tax has been a harsh reality for some time already, but recently, amid the wildfires affecting western Canada, the former Minister of Environment, Catherine McKenna, tweeted: “Conservative politicians want to fight about a price on carbon pollution? You want to make it free to pollute while Canadians pay with their lives threatened, homes destroyed, and their communities obliterated? So what are you going to do? You are the arsonists.”
Is opposing the carbon tax truly equivalent to arson?
I have looked for studies that might show the correlation between imposing a carbon tax and preventing wildfires. I have not found any. I wonder where the former Environment Minister found her “facts.”
Aside from being curious about the science behind McKenna’s claim, I am truly concerned about the Liberals’ demonization of anyone that might think differently than they do.
At the heart of the matter, we have a government that sees the people of this great country as the problem, rather than the solution.
G.K. Chesterton once said, “A citizen can hardly distinguish between a tax and a fine, except that the fine is generally much lighter.”
Money taken from Canadians in the name of “putting a price on carbon pollution” causes more problems than it will ever solve. On April 1st, the original carbon tax on fuel was increased to an additional 14 cents per litre. Then, on July 1st, the Prime Minister implemented a second carbon tax. When the two taxes are combined, it costs the average Albertan household $3,930 per year.
I have heard from many of you that the government’s punitive measures are having a significant impact on your ability to heat your homes, put groceries in your fridge, and fuel up your car. Those living on a fixed income, such as seniors and people with a disability, are among the hardest hit.
With September here, parents are struggling to cover the extra expenses associated with back-to-school. On average, parents must spend $700 per child to ensure they have the materials required of them. I don’t need to tell you about the anxiety this induces in many of the parents in our community.
One of the chief responsibilities of the federal government is to facilitate economic prosperity.
The Liberal Cabinet recently met in P.E.I. to plan for the year ahead. This was their chance to spend time discussing the things that matter most to Canadians. Instead, it was used as an opportunity to enjoy a luxurious vacation spot and try great seafood. If you are interested, the new small business minister tweeted out a video of her eating lobster and oysters. This comes as more and more Canadians hit up food banks.
Meanwhile, the environment minister flew to China to discuss environmental policy. Before the minister took off, Beijing made it clear they had zero intertest in what the minister had to say, but still, he felt it necessary to hop on a jet and fly halfway around the world. Never mind the emissions.
A board member with the China Strategic Risks Institute even described the communications coming out of Beijing as “marching orders” for the minister. To fraternize with a dictatorship that has sought to interfere in our democracy, while ignoring the affordability crisis at home demonstrates a massive lack of care for the citizens of this country.
The solution to these darkening economic days is Canadians themselves—we, the people!
Canadians are the innovators, the problem solvers, the solution makers, and the wealth generators that can get us back on track. The potential held within the people of Canada is immeasurable, but the punitive measures taken by the government need to stop.
Human flourishing should be the goal of government. Nothing more. Nothing less.
Canadians now, more than ever, need to be entrusted and empowered to build their own future. We must axe the tax to make room for Canadians to thrive.