On Tuesday, the CTF sent out an email asking our B.C. supporters for their opinion on the carbon tax. We are busy preparing a submission for the government’s review panel and we wanted to add some comments from our supporters.

The response has been overwhelming—nearly 300 individual, personally-written emails from concerned British Columbians, each with their own reasons for wanting the carbon tax gone. We will be adding many of them to our submission, but here’s a sneak preview of ten of them:

• “There really is no evidence that the carbon tax has lead to any reduction in carbon emissions but there is plenty of evidence that the carbon tax has added to the hardships of regular British Columbians.” (Raphael Kepinski, Vancouver)
• “Canada is a big country. We travel long distances, even just to work and back. I don't see that changing.  People are buying more fuel efficient vehicles as they become available. Taxing us more only makes us angry.” (Mary-Lou Rampold, Lumby)
• “I am a single mom of two children, and I have no extra income to pay taxes on the already high fuel costs we are all forced to pay at the pump. I have no choice I can't ride a bike, or smaller vehicle as I have to transport a five and seven year old to all their day care and activities, I already drive as fuel efficient a car as I can afford.” (Danielle P., Powell River)
• “The carbon fuel tax affected my income potential eventually forcing me to give up on additional employment from my home based business. With two young boys, each with a registered disability, and as a single parent with enough taxes to pay already, I don’t like the additional cost of the carbon tax.” (Kevin Hill, Delta)
• “Taxes kill jobs and don't create economic growth, especially when they are taxes that the general public has to pay with money that they already have paid federal and provincial income tax on.” (Helmut W., Port Moody)
• “I certainly don't believe that sucking more money from BC citizens is going to cool off the planet.” (Marlon B., Kelowna)
• “I run a farm and the carbon tax is the final straw in pushing up the cost to the buyer. I can buy food from the U.S.A cheaper than I can grow it.” (James Maltby, Merville)
• “As seniors we cannot continue to pay for this useless tax. The tax burden is just too heavy on everyone.” (Bill and Marion Bellis, Richmond)
• “I do not use transit as it is not available 10 kms out on Dog Creek road. It wouldn’t get enough use to justify coming out here as we are rural. I don’t want to subsidize Vancouver users.” (Wayne B., Williams Lake)
• “We own and operate a gravel pit/construction company where we rely on diesel and other fuels to operate. There are no alternatives. Carbon tax has increased our expenses... there is no room in this industry to charge more. What profit may have been made is gone. We are being taxed out of business.” (Anne R., Salmon Arm)

Thanks for all of the submissions—and keep them coming!