QUESTION PERIOD — Finance
Carbon Tax
May 15, 2019
My question is also for the government leader in the Senate. It concerns rising gas prices, which are expected to remain near historic levels across Canada this summer. In fact, in Vancouver, in my home province on the West Coast, gas prices recently hit almost $1.80 — the highest ever recorded in a major North American city. That’s for regular gas, so it’s even higher than that.
Skyrocketing gas prices come at a time when many families are struggling to get by. Last month it was revealed that 48 per cent of Canadians — nearly half of our fellow citizens — are $200 or less away from not being able to pay their bills each month. In my home province of B.C., 19 per cent responded that they already don’t make enough each month to cover their bills and debt payments.
Senator Harder, I find myself asking, and more and more Canadians are asking, how can we trust your government’s management of our economy and energy sector when carbon taxes and a lack of pipeline capacity have directly increased our cost of living?
I thank the honourable senator for her question. With respect to the economic performance of the Canadian economy, I should point out that in the last three years over a million new jobs have been created by Canadians for Canadians in this economy. The average middle-class family of four is $2,000 better off every year compared to their situation only four years ago. The federal debt-to-GDP ratio is firmly on a downward track. Canada has the best fiscal position amongst the G7. The economy is performing quite well. There are still anxieties in the economy, which the recent budget is designed to deal with.
With respect to the specific question on gasoline pricing, the implication that is sought to be drawn is that putting a price on pollution is antithetical to the interests of Canadians. In fact, it is absolutely core to the interests of Canada to deal with our climate-change agenda and to meet obligations which we have collectively made.
