HARRISON – Carbon pricing plan a $38-billion tax grab out of our pockets

FOR A FEW MONTHS, it seemed Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Government couldn’t do anything wrong.

Lately, it seems, it can’t do much right.

The latest misadventure appears to be his government’s plan for an escalating floor price for carbon.

A lot of people don’t have their heads well wrapped about this whole carbon pricing concept, so it’s an issue politicians have had, until now, pretty much a free reign with.

B.C.’s carbon tax has been in place for years, courtesy of the former Campbell administration, but anyone who gases up their vehicle pays each time they fill up. We’re told it’s revenue neutral, and there’s a tax offset, though there are some still from Missouri on that one.

Nevertheless, B.C. has been lauded by those who think we can hold back climate change as visionary. Now the Trudeau Government wants a national carbon tax that the Canadian taxpayers federation warns could see Canadian families paying nearly $2,600 in new taxes by 2022.

Mr. Trudeau claims the other provinces have a choice — impose these new taxes or Ottawa will do it for them.

The Taxpayers Federation has a warning Canadians would do well to heed, charging Ottawa “intends to impose a wide ranging tax that will grab $38 billion out of the pockets of Canadians in pursuit of a target that, even if it’s met, will have no substantive impact on global climate change.”

Listen to Jim Harrison’s editorials weekdays on Radio NL, and to the Jim Harrison Show at 9:08 a.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Contact him at jharrison@radionl.com.