The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is urging all provincial premiers to join New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs’ federal carbon tax legal challenge.
The federation’s call follows Higgs relaunching another legal challenge against the federal carbon tax as the province nears an election this month.
“Higgs is right that the carbon tax is an unfair punishment on Canadians, and all premiers should stick up for their taxpayers by following his lead,” said Franco Terrazzano, CTF Federal Director.
New Brunswick, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan have provincial elections in Oct.
“Taxpayers are taking it on the chin every time we pay our heating bills, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is blowing a hole through constitutional accountability with his unequal application of the carbon tax,” added Terrazzano.
While the CTF called on all premiers to join the fight, the federation’s prairie director, Gage Haubrich, specifically called on the Saskatchewan Premier and the province’s NDP leader to join the legal challenge.
Premier Scott Moe and provincial NDP Leader Carla Beck have called on the Liberals to scrap the federal carbon tax.
Seven provincial premiers previously called for carbon tax relief. So too did seven in ten Canadians.
Despite the calls, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau rejected any request to meet about the carbon tax and discuss its future.
“The federal government could and should provide relief immediately by scrapping the carbon tax. The feds could also end the carbon tax-on-tax, remove the carbon tax from everyone’s home heating bills, and take the carbon tax off all farm fuels,” Terrazzano told True North.
Higgs’ renewed call followed the federal government exempting home heating oil from the carbon tax for three years, primarily benefitting Atlantic Canadians after the Liberals plummeted in the region’s polls.
As of Monday, polling shows that the Conservatives would win 24 of 32 seats in Atlantic Canada.
When Higgs announced his renewed court challenge, he aligned himself with Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s “Axe the Tax” campaign.
Poilievre returned the favour days later, celebrating Higgs’ lawsuit in Parliament.
The Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick said that the province’s Liberal Leader, Susan Holt, will support the tax and implement her own if it is defeated.
“Liberal carve-outs violate the Supreme Court’s ruling, and the tax makes gas, groceries, and essential services more expensive,” wrote the Party.
Home heating oil makes up only about three percent of residential heating energy, according to the government of Nova Scotia. Conversely, natural gas is the most commonly used energy source.
According to the Canadian Gas Association, the average Canadian home uses 2,385 cubic metres of natural gas annually. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation calculated that removing the current federal carbon tax would save the average home $360 this year.
However, advocating against the federal carbon tax isn’t the only thing premiers can do.
Terrazzano told True North that premiers must also commit to not implementing their own provincial tax if the federal tax is removed.
“Premiers must commit to ending all carbon taxes, including the consumer and industrial carbon taxes because all carbon taxes make life more expensive,” said Terrazzano. “Premiers should also lead by example and cut their provincial fuel taxes to make life more affordable.”
Terrazzano said that the Canadian Taxpayers Federation will continue to fight the carbon tax and push politicians to scrap the tax.
“The CTF will continue to push all politicians of every political stripe to oppose carbon taxes, and we will continue to hold them accountable,” said Terrazzano. “O’Toole flip-flipped and broke his promise to fight carbon taxes. He was held accountable, and now O’Toole isn’t a politician.”