And then there was one.
There’s one prominent NDP leader who hasn’t spoken up on the carbon tax.
When journalists try to corner Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi on the carbon tax, he dissolves into orange smoke.
Albertans have been burned by an NDP provincial carbon tax before.
Former NDP premier Rachel Notley imposed a carbon tax on Albertans without running on one. Notley’s carbon tax cost Albertans more than $1 billion before it was scrapped in 2019.
Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre has vowed to axe the carbon tax if he becomes prime minister, and he’s leading in the polls.
CBC’s West of Centre podcast asked Nenshi whether he would support a provincial carbon tax in Alberta.
“I cannot imagine a world in which the industrial carbon price is not part of a Poilievre [future government] solution, and it is the most important part,” Nenshi said. “A consumer carbon tax, a broad-based consumer carbon tax, look, probably the political environment will not allow it at that time.”
Tough to see through that cloud.
Nenshi is the only major NDP leader left who hasn’t spoken up on the carbon tax.
Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh signaled a big lane change on the carbon tax, telling reporters: “We want to see an approach to fighting the climate crisis where it doesn’t put the burden on the backs of working people.”
For years, Singh locked his wheels on the carbon tax, supporting Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s favourite tax at every turn.
Now, after repeated government reports showing the carbon tax costs Canadians billions of dollars – from working people to farmers to truckers to entrepreneurs – the federal NDP returned to the original stance of its late leader Jack Layton.
“Those advocating a carbon tax suggest that by making the cost of certain things more expensive people will make different choices, but Canada is a cold place and heating your home really isn’t a choice,” Layton said in 2008. “We shouldn’t punish people and that’s what a carbon tax does.”
Hot on the heels of Singh’s change of heart, there was an orange earthquake in British Columbia, the original carbon tax epicentre.
Facing an election, NDP Premier David Eby did a full 180.
“If the federal government decides to remove the legal backstop requiring us to have a consumer carbon tax in British Columbia, we will end the consumer carbon tax in British Columbia,” Eby said while campaigning in Vancouver with Manitoba NDP Premier Wab Kinew.
Speaking of Kinew, he suspended his fuel tax to take the sting out of Trudeau’s carbon tax.
And then there was one.
Does Nenshi think Alberta should have a carbon tax?
Albertans know the carbon tax is costing them an extra $13 when they fill their minivans and an extra $20 when they fill their pickup trucks. Math shows them that.
Albertans know the carbon tax will cost them $400 extra this winter while they heat their homes with natural gas. Stats Canada measures that.
Albertans know the carbon tax will cost farmers $1 billion in the next few years. The Parliamentary Budget Officer calculated that.
Albertans know the carbon tax costs truckers $2 billion this year. The Canadian Trucking Alliance announced that.
Albertans also know you can’t hand the Trudeau government a $20-bill and get $50 back at no cost. Common sense tells them they do not get more back in rebates than they pay into the carbon tax. Especially when the federal government charges its sales tax on top of the carbon tax.
That tax-on-tax costs taxpayers $600 million this year. And Trudeau doesn’t even pretend to rebate that money back.
Albertans know they can’t afford a carbon tax. Their empty cupboards and empty wallets tell them that while they line up at food banks in record numbers.
Nenshi needs to be clear on a carbon tax in Alberta, he needs to say yes or no.
Kris Sims is the Alberta director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.