For Immediate Release June 20, 2008
“Dion’s Carbon Tax bound to hurt Saskatchewan and
Souris-Moose Mountain in particular,” says Komarnicki
Ottawa (June 20, 2008)-- Ed Komarnicki, M.P., Souris- Moose Mountain and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration
It is reminiscent of what Trudeau did with his National Energy Program to Alberta, except now Dion targets Saskatchewan.
“Where was Ralph Goodale when Dion came up with this one?” questioned Komarnicki.
It is nothing more than a tax grab by Dion to fund Liberal spending while punishing ordinary Canadians in his attempt to say he is greener than everyone else. It is an attack on fossil fuels like oil, coal, and natural gas, something we produce a lot of in Souris-Moose Mountain. He might as well back up a Brinks Truck to Saskatchewan as he imposes his punitive tax for distribution elsewhere.
Dion says in his plan, “…the worst polluters in Canada-mostly heavy industry and power plants will account for a significant majority of the revenue within the Green Shift.” Leading carbon tax expert, Marc Jaccard, has also admitted that under Dion-style carbon taxes “some people will be better off and some won’t.” Of course, that is a fact. I have a fairly good idea where we will be in that equation.
“In the end, production costs will be increased across the country and will get passed on to guess who,” said Komarnicki, “the Canadian taxpayer.”
In his plan, Dion says it is “good for your wallet” as he shifts what is in it to his spending coffers. He even cites David Suzuki to back him up and says, “We Liberals want to be at the head of that parade.” He says the Green Shift will be revenue neutral. Santa Clause lives in the north too! National Post columnist, Andrew Coyne said the plan is “not remotely revenue neutral.” He added, “The Liberals have used the carbon tax to fund their spending ambitions.”
“It is an interesting concept nonetheless,” said Komarnicki. “It is taking money away from you while leaving you with the hope you might get some of it back somehow. Only the Liberals would think of a policy to tax Canadians in order to give them a tax break. It is nothing more than a green facade that lacks economic sense and represents poor environmental policy.”
For the farmer who lives in rural Canada, the Green Shift will provide him with a $150 dollar credit. Dion calls it an annual Green Rural Credit. With the present cost of fuel, rising operating costs and the tax on diesel almost tripling under this plan, $150 will hardly help the farmer.
Dion says you can see support for what he hopes his plan will do by the eagerness you see at the grocery store where more people bring reusable bags with them to shop. The fact people bring reusable bags when shopping may be true, but to suggest that this means that his plan has support is quite a stretch. Thankfully in the end this hair-brained plan is going to hurt Dion more than the consumer come election time.
Interesting in all of his talk, Dion fails to highlight any concrete environmental results. The plan is nothing more than a tax grab. Really what the professor wants to do he says is to change our behaviour. Therefore he says, “The Liberal Party of Canada will put in place a price on carbon from coast to coast to coast.”
“With three coal fired electricity plants in my riding, guess where he will nest?” Komarnicki stated.
Dion plans the carbon tax to apply to the full range of fossil fuels including coal, propane, natural gas, oil and diesel. The price of carbon will start at $10 per tonne in the first year and steadily rise by $10 per tonne each successive year reaching $40 per tonne by year four. But hear this, he says, “Further into the future the price on carbon will continue its gradual rise to reflect the true social costs of pollution.”
“He won’t stop with this plan because it is just the start,” said Komarnicki. “Once the Liberal tax and spend mentality takes hold, look out!”
What he is really saying is get ready to pay a whole lot more for your electricity, your propane, gasoline, diesel, home heating oil and the like. If you’re a farmer, shipper or trucker, the consequences are obvious.
Every carbon tax imposed in Europe has hit gas prices. Hard. It places a squeeze on the economy because the costs of a carbon tax paid by manufacturers are passed directly onto consumers. They are the ones that pay.
This plan if allowed to go forward will destroy jobs and drive up the cost of gas, electricity and everything else you buy. All of this from a man that said in 2006 that a carbon tax was “simply bad policy.” Well, it is. There is one sure way of stopping it. At the ballot box.
