Photo: Abby Zieverink

By Shane Clausing

warkentin opposed to carbon tax

Warkentin calls on Trudeau government to get rid of carbon tax ahead of April 1 increase

Mar 29, 2022 | 5:34 PM

Grande Prairie-Mackenzie MP Chris Warkentin is demanding Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Liberal government put an immediate end to the carbon tax.

The call to end the carbon tax comes as the federal government is set to let it rise by $10 to $50 per tonne on April 1.

Warkentin calls the increase of the carbon tax this Friday a horrible April Fools Day joke.

“This is really the worst type of April Fools joke and quite frankly, Canadians are no fools, and they know this tax is going to hurt them,” he stated.

“We know that the vast majority of people throughout the Peace County and around the country have been dealing with already very difficult increases in the cost of energy, home heating, cost of fuel and the cost of groceries, and everything else. Of course, with the carbon tax, all the goods we consume will increase.”

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Warkentin adds the carbon tax increase greatly impacts people in the Peace Country and those who live in northern Canada.

“I have long opposed the carbon tax, especially for places like ours where the vast majority of the consumption of energy is for essential transportation and the heating of people’s homes,” he explained.

“I do not believe Canadians should be taxed on the essentials of life. I do believe it’s actually unfair and profoundly uncompassionate to go after people who live in rural northern communities, to disproportionately impact them.”

“We know its easier for people that live in large urban centres in the south to reduce their energy consumption,” Warkentin said.

“They can use mass transit and turn down their heat a bit, we don’t have those privileges in the north. We will continue to oppose it because I believe it to be a tax that really inhibits places like ours to succeed and move forward.”

Warkentin adds he is pleased with the provincial government is stepping up to help Albertans out with energy prices by suspending their fuel tax until the prices go back to more affordable levels.

He says he will continue to fight for Canadians and Peace Country residents about removing the carbon tax, getting fuel prices under control, and lowering taxes

“I believe at the end of the day, especially during times of inflationary pressure, the worst thing that anyone could do is raise taxes. The Liberals are doing that with the support of the NDP.”

“We are going to fight that, continue to demonstrate to ensure taxes go down rather than up,” he said. “We believe there should be more money left in the pockets of Canadians, especially when so many are finding it difficult to make ends meet.”