Candidates seeking election in the Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills and Rimbey-Rocky Mountain House-Sundre ridings have set out some of their respective positions on the provincial carbon tax or levy.
In the Rimbey-Rocky Mountain House-Sundre riding, incumbent UCP MLA Jason Nixon is facing off against Alberta Party candidate and former MLA Joe Anglin, Green Party candidate Jane Drummond, Alberta Advantage Party candidate Paula Lamoureux, NDP candidate Jeff Ible, Independent candidate Gordon Francey, Alberta Independence Party candidate Dave Rogers, and Alberta Freedom Conservative Party candidate Dawn Berard.
Anglin, a former MLA, said the carbon levy should go.
“The reality is the money has been spent,” said Anglin. “Even though we will remove the carbon levy, and I think that’s a sure bet that it get removed, we’ve got to look at the budget because having that money spent means something has to backfill it.
“Either we assume a deficit or we figure out how we are going to pay for what we’ve already spent.”
Lamoureaux said getting rid of the carbon tax would be a priority for her.
“Yes, we are eliminating the carbon tax because it is a useless tax,” said Lamoureaux. “There is no purpose other than to generate more revenues for Alberta. We have an energy plan to put Albertans back to work.
“With autonomy from Ottawa, we are looking to set up our own revenue agency. We would eliminate it over three years; we are not going to eliminate it right away.”
Nixon says a UCP government would immediately do away with the carbon tax.
“The carbon tax should be completely scrapped,” said Nixon. “We have been clear that this has been the largest tax increase in the history of the province and it has not benefited the province and has caused only pain for ordinary Albertans. People in my constituency are very clear that they want it gone.”
Ibel says the carbon tax has been a benefit to Alberta and should be maintained.
“It’s very important that the carbon levy be kept,” said Ibel. “It is our defence against having a made-in- Ottawa carbon regime imposed on us or forced on Alberta. We need to make sure that we control the game and the revenue goes to us.
“Families are receiving rebates equalling $533 million each year and it has created new energy efficiency programs. It has helped farmers, small business, and community recreation centres.”
Rogers said the carbon tax should be done away with immediately.
“It should be completely scrapped,” said Rogers. “We don’t need to be sending any more money to Ottawa. We are a carbon sink so why are we paying a carbon tax? It’s just a money grab as far as I’m concerned.”
Francey said he would like to see the carbon tax scrapped.
“It hurts the taxpayers, it hurts the businesses, it hurts everyone, and it should be gotten rid of,” said Francey. “Canada is already a carbon sink. We could probably cover the United States as well for output for the amount of carbon we take in and process naturally through our forestry and grasslands.”
Drummond said the carbon tax should be retained.
“Government have an ethical obligation to contribute to the solution of climate change,” said Drummond. “(The carbon tax) increases the cost of activities that produce carbon and increases practices that reduce emissions.
“The conservative parties in Canada were originally on board for carbon pricing. In their zeal to oppose, they have thrown out the baby with the bath water, and have not proposed an alternative.”
In the Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills riding, incumbent UCP MLA Nathan Cooper is facing off against Alberta Party candidate Chase Brown, NDP candidate Kyle Johnston, Alberta Advantage Party candidate Dave Hughes, and Alberta Freedom Conservative Party candidate Allen MacLennan.
Brown says instead of scrapping the carbon tax completely, the Alberta Party would set out exemptions.
“The NDP carbon tax has failed Albertans,” said Brown. “However, we shouldn’t have to pick between the environment and a strong economy. The Alberta Party caucus shadow budget proposes to exempt farms, homes, businesses and non-profits from the carbon tax.
“Revenues would be offset by cuts to personal and corporate income tax, thereby renewing Alberta’s competitive advantage. “
Johnston says he would not support doing away with the carbon tax.
“A good reason to keep it is that the federal government is going to impose a carbon tax on provinces that don’t have one themselves, so by us having our own we can disperse that money properly and according to the needs of Alberta,” said Johnston.
Money garnered through the tax help to support energy-efficiency programs across rural Alberta, “with a lot of farmers and school boards taking advantage of the program,” he said.
Cooper said the carbon tax should be scrapped.
“Absolutely, we should repeal the carbon tax,” said Cooper. “It is all economic pain and no environmental gain. It makes everything more expensive and certainly isn’t buying the social licence the NDP would lead you to believe that it is. We need to get our spending under control before we look at any other form of taxation.”
MacLennan says the future Alberta government should scrap the carbon tax.
“The whole idea (of the carbon tax) is wholly illegitimate,” said MacLennan. “It’s just another scam. There is no such thing as the greenhouse effect.”
Hughes says the carbon tax should be discarded.
“It’s just a tax grab,” said Hughes. “It’s not for the people. It is just for politicians and corporations to get richer. Eventually it should be discarded, gradually phased out.”
Berard could not be reached for comment at press time.
