Progressive Conservative leadership candidate Tony Wakeham (MHA, Stephenville – Port au Port) says if the Liberal parties in Ottawa and Newfoundland and Labrador had listened and rejected the carbon tax in the first place, we would not be where we are today, with the cost of living through the roof and another tax hike scheduled for July 1.
Wakeham is demanding the carbon tax be scrapped immediately. That includes both the original carbon tax, which jumps again on July 1, and the Clean Fuel Regulations (“carbon tax two”), commencing July 1. The Parliamentary Budget Officer has reported that Newfoundland and Labrador will be the province hit hardest by these tax hikes.
“Pausing the latest carbon tax hike would not be good enough. The carbon tax must be eliminated immediately. It is doing serious damage to families and our economy. The people of our province already pay too much at the pump and at the grocery store. Now, they are just going to pay more,” said Wakeham.
He points out that, if the Ball, Furey, and Trudeau Liberals had listened in the first place, they would have avoided the carbon tax altogether, and spared people this worsening hurt.
“There are better ways to help protect the environment. We do it with technology instead of taxes that only take more money out of people’s pockets, driving inflation through the roof, and causing real hardship for folks across this country, with families here in Newfoundland and Labrador suffering more than anyone else,” said Wakeham.
Wakeham said as a leader and Premier, he would be leading a national campaign to end the carbon tax once and for all, recognizing that such a policy change would benefit Newfoundlanders and Labradorians most.
“Someone needs to be out there telling Canadian decision-makers how much Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are being hurt by wrongheaded policies like this, until they can’t afford to ignore us any longer.”
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