OTTAWA (LifeSiteNews) — Liberals and Bloc Québécois voted down a Conservative motion to extend the carbon tax exemption to all forms of home heating.
On November 6, Liberals and Bloc Québécois joined forces against Conservatives and members of the New Democratic Party (NDP) to defeat the Carbon Tax Pause on Home Heating motion.
“Today, the Liberals and the separatist Bloc voted to punish Canadians this winter,” Conservative Party of Canada (CPC) leader Pierre Poilievre posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“They rejected our common-sense Conservative motion to take the carbon tax off home heating, creating two classes of Canadians,” he continued.
Today, the Liberals and the separatist Bloc voted to punish Canadians this winter.
They rejected our common sense Conservative motion to take the carbon tax off home heating, creating two classes of Canadians.
They’re not worth the cost.
— Pierre Poilievre (@PierrePoilievre) November 7, 2023
The motion, introduced by Poilievre, aimed to extend Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s suspension of the carbon tax on home heating oil to all forms of heating used in Canada.
Trudeau’s decision last week to suspend the carbon tax on home heating oil has been criticized for benefiting Atlantic provinces, a historically Liberal stronghold, while leaving western and Conservative provinces literally out in the cold.
In an unprecedented move, NDP members joined with Conservatives against the carbon tax. However, they were defeated 186-136 by Liberals and Bloc Québécois.
The decision was also condemned by Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe, who wrote on X, “The motion to extend the home heating exemption and carbon tax fairness to all Canadians was defeated because the Liberal government was supported by the Bloc Québécois — a party that wants to break up Canada.”
“That explains a lot about the state of our country under Trudeau,” he added.
The motion to extend the home heating exemption and carbon tax fairness to all Canadians was defeated because the Liberal government was supported by the Bloc Québécois – a party that wants to break up Canada.
That explains a lot about the state of our country under Trudeau. pic.twitter.com/4lCed49weJ
— Scott Moe (@PremierScottMoe) November 6, 2023
When the suspension was announced, Moe pointed out that it only applies to home heating oil, which is primarily used in Atlantic provinces, while other forms of heating, including natural gas (the main source of heat in western provinces), is not exempt.
“The prime minister chose to make life more affordable for families in one part of the country while leaving Saskatchewan families out in the cold,” he said.
As a result, Moe promised that if the exemption was not extended to other forms of heating, he will direct SaskEnergy to stop collecting the carbon tax on natural gas, “effectively providing Saskatchewan residents with the very same exemption that the federal government has given heating oil in Atlantic Canada.”
Following Moe’s demands, Trudeau declared that he will not make any further carve-outs to the carbon tax. Trudeau’s statement was supported by both Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson and Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault.
Trudeau’s carbon tax, framed as a way to reduce carbon emissions, has cost Canadians hundreds more annually despite rebates.
The increased costs are only expected to rise after a recent report revealed that a carbon tax of more than $350 per tonne is needed to reach Trudeau’s net-zero goals by 2050.
Currently, Canadians living in provinces under the federal carbon pricing scheme pay $65 per tonne, but the Trudeau government has a goal of $170 per tonne by 2030.