The new Carbon Tax rebate plan put forward by the Federal Government last week isn’t impressing Airdrie’s Member of Parliament.

MP Blake Richards said that the process of refunding a tax collected by the government just doesn’t make sense.

(Photo Courtesy: Bernard Thibodeau/House of Commons)

“If there’s anyone out there that believes that somehow this carbon tax, they’re going to collect it and then return the exact same amount to tax payers, I’ve got a mountain range in Saskatchewan I could sell them for sure. To me it’s pretty clear that that’s not a realistic situation in any kind of way.”

Justin Trudeau and the Federal Liberals announced last week that they will rebate about 90% of the carbon tax for consumers in Manitoba, Ontario, Saskatchewan and New Brunswick, the four provinces who don’t have a carbon pricing plan.

Alberta isn’t on the Federal rebate plan as the current Provincial Government already has a Carbon Tax and rebate system.

While Richards said that the Liberals intentions in offering these rebates may be good willed, they are missing some very important details.

“The one group that they’ve left out of this thing is small businesses and they’re sort of saying well, ‘they can pass that along to their customers.’ Who are their customers? Customers are you and I, customers are all Canadians and that means that everything we’re going to buy will be more expensive. In the process, I think you’re going to see that it’s going to put some small businesses right out of business.”

Richards also believes that the notion of a carbon tax won’t do anything for the environment and reducing emissions and is nothing more than another government cash grab.

The Federal Liberals say that all provinces must have a price on carbon beginning January 1st, 2019.

Questions, comments or story ideas? Email us at news@discoverairdrie.com