MP Gallant Rejects Opposition Plan to Raise Taxes

June 18, 2008

Ottawa, Ontario - Cheryl Gallant, MP (Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke) voiced her concern that the carbon tax being proposed by the Opposition is nothing more than a massive tax grab that will hurt working Canadians, seniors, forestry, rural residents and those living on fixed incomes.

“I am particularly concerned about how the carbon tax being threatened by Opposition leader Dion will affect rural residents for whom a vehicle is a necessity. Even with our government reducing the GST by 2%, Canadians still pay high fuel taxes. I can confirm that no constituent has contacted me asking for a punitive new tax to be imposed on Canadians like a carbon tax,” stated Cheryl Gallant, MP.

“Just like the Kyoto Accord, a carbon tax would immediately cause the price of gasoline to jump to $1.60 per litre, 275,000 Canadians to lose their jobs, unemployment to rise by 25%, pushing our economy into an immediate recession, with economic activity declining in the range of $51 billion. A carbon tax is just not worth the risk,” observed MP Gallant.


Hansard, June 18, 2008, Statements by members

Mrs. Cheryl Gallant (Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, Conservative): Mr. Speaker, a carbon tax is a tax on poor, rural, working class people that even an elitist like the Premier of Ontario understands is nothing more than a yuppie fad.

The Liberal carbon tax plan is to impose punishing new regulations and taxes, a fact recognized by Dalton McGuinty. He has made it clear he rejects a massive carbon tax grab and has gone so far as to warn that imposing a new carbon tax on fuels and other products is a foolish way to combat climate change and will lead to massive unemployment in Ontario's manufacturing and forestry sectors.

Rural dwellers in my riding of Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke have no choice about transportation. The Liberal carbon tax will force them to give up other things, such as buying food and educating their children.

This past weekend the Liberal environment critic was attempting to convince Ontarians and all Canadians that a Liberal punitive carbon tax plan was a good thing, something even his own brother rejects. Rural Canadians, seniors and those living on fixed incomes will not be tricked into swallowing a new, permanent, Liberal carbon tax.