QUESTION PERIOD — Environment and Climate Change
Carbon Tax
October 31, 2023
Senator Gold, Justin Trudeau and the Liberal-NDP coalition finally flip-flopped on their cornerstone public policy: the carbon tax. Of course, the Prime Minister didn’t flip-flop on the carbon tax because he finally understood what future prime minister Pierre Poilievre has been talking about for years, which is that a carbon tax causes inflation, raises the cost of living and pummels poor, working-class and middle‑class Canadians — no, not at all. He flip-flopped because he saw plummeting polling numbers for the Liberal Party of Canada and desperate Liberal MPs from Atlantic Canada.
The question is this: Why just for Atlantic Canada?
Second, if Justin Trudeau has finally understood that he and his carbon tax are just not worth the cost, why isn’t he now planning to axe the tax from coast to coast to coast in order to give relief to all segments of the economy and all sectors of the population?
I’m not going to comment on the branding and taglines that are clearly — I’ve got one minute to answer your question, and you asked a whole bunch of questions.
The government has no intentions of axing the tax. It will continue to take into consideration measures that are appropriate to address the significant and important issues of combatting climate change, while also providing relief to Canadians and supporting our economy going forward.
Well, you have axed the tax. You’ve paused it, but for a certain segment: Atlantic Canada regarding home heating. Your minister — Minister Hutchings — was on Question Period this weekend, and she said clearly that the only reason they’re doing the segmented cut is because they’re only helping Liberal voters in Liberal sectors of the country, and if the other parts and sectors of the country want the same kind of relief, they should be voting Liberal. Is that the position of this government, or will the Prime Minister and your government reel in this minister for either lying or telling the truth?
This government believes that the Senate ought to be a place somewhat different than the hyperpartisan —
Senator Gold, you have the floor.
The government has no intention of doing what you suggested. My 15 seconds have expired, so I’ll leave it at that.
