WEYBURN - It’s clear that the federal Liberal administration has badly misplaced ideals and priorities, as the well-being of Canadians is far down the list from where it should be.
As fuel prices continue to escalate, without any end in the foreseeable future, governments are coming under pressure to take some of the hurt out of the high prices.
The suggestion has been made, by more than one party, that one way to alleviate the highway robbery-level cost is by giving a temporary rest to the huge amount of taxes that make up the price at the pumps.
U.S. President Joe Biden has begun to openly discuss the possibility of giving some sort of temporary holiday to the collection of taxes at the pumps, though when or where, or for how long, is yet to be determined.
To show just how far out of touch the Liberals are on this topic, the suggestion was raised in a meeting between Chrystia Freeland, our federal Finance minister, with her counterpart, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen.
While Yellen seemed to indicate this might be a possibility, Freeland just voiced the same excuses they have always made about their taxation levels, saying “It’s a different situation in Canada.”
It really isn’t – taxes are taxes, regardless of what a government says they are for.
In true Liberal fashion, Freeland pointed out that the taxes here are to discourage pollution – in other words, the carbon tax will not be lifted or removed or reduced. This is the only part of the federal tax that remotely relates to reducing pollution in Canada.
While this has been the Liberals’ stated goal for this regressive and punitive tax (mainly hurting Western Canada, more than any other part of the country), the fact is the carbon tax has done nothing whatsoever to impact the level of carbon dioxide/greenhouse emissions in this country.
The fact also is, Canada is one of the lowest-emitting countries in the world, and it was not due in any way to the carbon tax. Freeland also excused it by saying that a good part of it is returned to Canadians. There are many Canadians who would take exception to that, including those who are shelling out over $2 a litre for gas.
The high prices are hurting residents, and businesses and groups, as the costs for everything goes up, and no rebate from the government even comes close to alleviating that.
Remember, this government offered the same lame excuse to hurt Canadians during the height of the COVID pandemic, after lying and saying they would not raise taxes at such a time of trauma. They did, as the carbon tax was increased, without any apology whatsoever for the hurt to residents and the economy. That pain is being extended yet again at a time of extreme inflation, when compassion and caring is needed far more.
