Anti-carbon tax protest kicks off at Walsh, vehicles line the Trans-Canada Highway near border

There was police presence on both sides of the border. Over 15 police vehicles were spaced across a five-kilometre stretch.

Some of the those present plan to spend at least three days protesting at the highway, leaving when it gets dark and driving back every morning.

It’s part of a larger, nationwide protest against the federal carbon tax on individuals, families, small and medium-sized businesses, First Nations and public institutions such as cities and schools.

The consumer carbon price — one of two carbon pricing programs, with the other one reserved for big industry — had a scheduled price increase on Monday.

The federal carbon tax and its associated rebates rose Monday as the national price on carbon emissions increased from $65 per tonne to $80.

Gas, diesel, propane and natural gas prices will increase, some by cents and other industries by as much as nearly $2.

The carbon price on a litre of gasoline will now be 17.6 cents per litre, up 3.3 cents per litre. That means filling a 50 litre tank from empty will cost about $8.80 in carbon price, about $1.65 more than before.

The federal government’s approach to balancing the tax out is through its Canada Carbon Rebate. Ottawa sends out or deposits the rebate cash on a quarterly basis.

The next rebate goes out on April 15.

In Alberta, a single person will receive $225, a couple will get $337.50 and a family of four will be sent $450.

Rural residents will see a top-up. The federal government is proposing, through legislative amendments in Bill C-59, to double the top-up for rural residents from 10 per cent to 20 per cent.

Brenda Caplette, who drove from Moose Jaw, Sask., to protest at the Alberta border Monday morning, feels the carbon tax rebate doesn’t cover what she pays towards the tax.

“My rebate just the amount that I saved on Saskatchewan not paying carbon tax on our energy. My rebate is still less than what I paid for carbon tax on that one bill,” Caplette said.

“Nevermind any of the other combined bills or the cost of food going up,” she added.

“The rebate is a joke.”

Caplette says that carbon tax is contributing to the rise in living costs.

“The biggest concern with that increase…has to do with the cost of your groceries,” said Caplette, who was also involved in the Coutts border protest.

Brenda Caplette, drove from Moose Jaw, Sask., to the protest on Monday. (CHAT News)

“They have to ship it with anything you’re going to participate in because your gas and natural gas and electricity is going up,” she added.

“It’s just basic cost of living and people can’t do it anymore. Middle class people are living check to check now, nevermind a low income family.”

Dustin Bischoff travelled with a group from Leader, Sask. leaving at six a.m. this morning to be at the protest as soon as it started.

Bischoff owns and operates a construction company in Saskatchewan and said it has put pressure on his business.

“I have to bring up all my rates to cover everything,” Bischoff said.

“It costs more for materials. It cost more for insurances and everything is gonna go up,” he added.

“It affects everything for sure.”

Ron Reinhart made the trip from Swift Current, Sask. he plans on protesting there for at least three days, returning every morning while staying with friends in Medicine Hat.

“Some people said we’re gonna stay as long as it takes,” Reinhart said.

“We just want to be recognized that it’s absolutely a tax revolt. It’s too much,” he said.

“I think it’s such a horrible thing to think that, Trudeau gets a $17,000 raise on April the first and we get the carbon tax.”

The price at the gas pumps in Medicine Hat reached as high as 152.9 at some locations on Monday.

Caplette said she hopes the protests are heard by the federal government.

“We plan to participate a minimum three days to let people know and let other Canadians know that we are understanding, it’s difficult and you can say something and hopefully affect the government’s decision in the future to cut this tax,” Caplette said.

Newfoundland’s premier asks Trudeau for meeting over carbon price alternatives

One of seven premiers who asked Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to pause the consumer carbon price increase is now asking him for a meeting to discuss alternatives.

Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey penned a letter to Trudeau over the weekend asking for an “emergency meeting of leaders.”

The four Atlantic premiers and the leaders in Saskatchewan, Alberta and Ontario asked Trudeau not to increase the federal consumer carbon price by $15 per tonne today.

Many of them have long opposed any carbon levy, but say the affordability crisis plaguing Canadians is reason to halt the increase.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has spent the last month hosting “axe the tax” rallies across the country with the same message.

Trudeau has said conservative premiers are lying about the role the policy is playing in inflation and has challenged his provincial critics to present alternative plans to reduce emissions.

— with files from the Canadian Press

by Jesse Gill, Eli J. Ridder

Anti-carbon tax protest kicks off at Walsh, vehicles line the Trans-Canada Highway near border

Newfoundland’s premier asks Trudeau for meeting over carbon price alternatives

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