It started with the Paris Climate Accord and resulted in a federally imposed pollution tax, also known as the carbon tax. Let’s face it no one in their right mind likes to pay more taxes. And like it or not, taxes are a necessary evil as help fund everything from education, to health to potholes. Potholes? Maybe not so much in Edmonton.
But I digress.
Most Albertans know the Leader of the New Democratic Party, Rachel Notley, imposed the carbon tax. What most Albertans don’t know is she imposed the carbon tax ahead of schedule as Trudeau agreed to approve Trans Mountain pipeline.
We all know how that turned out. He approved it but did not challenge the appeal. Leaving Premier Notley holding the bag.
Now we have the United Conservative Party (UCP) led by Jason Kenney who tout the mantra of “ax the carbon tax”. And what a wonderful expression, anybody, which is everybody, who hates the carbon tax will rally around that expression.
On the surface, it sounds great. Get the tax gone and everything will return to normal. At least, that is what UCP leader Kenney tells you. He says if he becomes the next Premier of Alberta he will repeal the carbon tax and that sounds great.
But there is the second half to this equation.
The part Kenney won’t tell his followers. The part that speaks to the truth about the carbon tax.
It’s a federal directive
The fact is, the carbon tax is a FEDERAL directive. You see Premier Notley knew this tax was coming sooner or later. She also knew handling the revenue from said tax would be entirely up to her government.
So, what is she doing with the money? In a nutshell, rebates are going to all those people who need it. People earning less than $47,500 per year and families whose household income is under $95,000 per year get rebates. That targets about 60 percent of Albertans. It is very important to remember Albertans are getting rebates from this imposed tax.
Now Kenney is telling his followers he will repeal the carbon tax. Again, that sounds great. But Kenney is not telling the whole story. He knows most his supporters will not bother to ask him any questions. He has enough political savvy and knows by telling them what they want to hear, that will garner an emotional response. They are so happy hearing that, they won’t bother to ask any more questions.
Don’t ask, don’t tell
So, he has them right where he wants them. Swallowing his words and not asking any questions. A cult leader couldn’t ask for a better audience.
What Kenney isn’t telling his followers is the carbon tax, being a federal directive, will come back at a federal level, if the provincial authority chooses to remove it.
That means, right now, with the NDP, ALL of the money is coming back to Alberta. If the feds impose it, they will keep 10 percent of the money.
So, let me spell it out for you. Kenney’s plan to repeal the tax means Trudeau will put in his own federal carbon tax. When that happens, 10 percent of the carbon tax revenue will go into federal coffers. That 10 percent the NDP is putting back into the province.
In summary, Kenney is looking to give the feds 10 percent of Alberta’s carbon tax revenue.
Does that sound like a good plan?
by Verhomme