Commentary
Canadians want to do what they can to reduce global emissions.
At least, they do until it comes time to pay the bill. Then the tune quickly changes.
Recent
polling conducted by Leger indicates opposition to the Canadian carbon tax has grown in every region. Although Alberta has traditionally led the country in opposition to carbon taxes, Eastern Maritime provinces have now taken the lead in that category. While 57 percent of Albertans want to see the carbon tax either reduced or eliminated, a hefty
65 percent of Atlantic Canadians want to see the tax cut.
Quebec has the highest support in Canada for the carbon tax and even there, only 23 percent of citizens want to see the tax continuing to increase as planned.
So, what changed in Atlantic Canada?
The bill became due, that’s what.
On July 1, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador all became subject to federal carbon levies. Prices at the pump immediately rose and citizens began to realize that contrary to government claims made when the carbon tax was created,
most people end up paying out more than they get back in rebates.
It’s easy to say you support the aspirational goals and targets set by the government when you don’t take the cost of the battle into consideration. When the household budget starts feeling the pinch, the zero-emission goals becomes a lesser issue of concern for most families.
An Ispos poll found 60 percent of respondents agree that Canada should do more to “combat climate change.” This comes in conflict with the
68 percent of Canadians who oppose paying more for gasoline as part of climate change policies. Canadians want to have their cake and eat it too, but it just won’t work. When push comes to shove, citizens must choose between supporting government climate change initiatives at great personal expense or supporting the suspension of the initiatives to keep the cost of living in line.
Being able to pay the bills will always be more important to people than government policies that may or may not impact climate change. The only ones who still don’t realize this appear to be members of the federal government.
The issue extends well beyond just carbon taxes. Studies are being conducted into the cost of transitioning electric generation into net zero emission models and the projected costs are concerning. The
Ontario Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) estimates that attempting a gas phaseout in electrical generation by 2030 would lead to a 60 percent increase in the cost of electricity and add a serious risk of blackouts. The cost of such a transition would cost between $2,700 and $3,300 per household while the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions would be small. When faced with those sorts of cost increases, support for the transition is sure to collapse in Ontario.
Natural gas only makes up 10 percent of Ontario’s generating capacity right now. With plans to further electrify all power sources, demand for electricity is expected to spike. It will be difficult just to meet new demand. Pulling 10 percent of the generating sources out of the grid will have heavy impacts on supply stability and prices. Natural gas makes up 80 percent of Alberta’s electrical generation. Just imagine what an attempt to swiftly transition away from those sources would do to the provincial economy there.
The federal government appears oblivious to the growing concern and discontent over the impact of its climate-change policies. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Quebec Premier François Legault just announced plans to
pump billions of tax dollars into yet another electric vehicle battery plant this week. How Canadians will be able to afford to buy EVs and how struggling power grids will be able to charge these vehicles wasn’t mentioned during the event.
Meanwhile, Energy and Natural Resources Minister
Jonathan Wilkinson announced from Paris that the federal government will be pursuing emissions caps on the oil and gas industry in Western Canada. Such caps would decimate the Canadian oil and gas sector and would come at a great expense to all taxpayers. It appears the government thinks Canadians are willing to take that financial hit—even if Canadians themselves are indicating pretty clearly that they aren’t.
Support for the Liberal government has been in a free-fall of late and the rising cost of living has been identified as the prime cause of voter discontent. Is the government so ideologically driven that they would rather sacrifice all hope of winning the next election? Or are they just so disconnected from common Canadians that they don’t realize they are committing political suicide?
Canadians want the government to step on the brakes with its climate-change policies. Paying the rent and feeding the family come first.
Is the government capable of listening, though?
Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
