LETHBRIDGE, AB: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is calling on Alberta Premier Danielle Smith to stand up to Ottawa and reject all carbon taxes on Albertans.

“Prime Minister Mark Carney says the industrial carbon tax is ‘actually quite low’ and he wants to ‘rectify’ that,” said Kris Sims, CTF Alberta Director. “Albertans can’t afford a higher carbon tax and the premier needs to stand up to the prime minister by rejecting the carbon tax.”

On Thursday, Carney was asked about the memorandum of understanding he signed with Smith in November. A reporter asked if the cost of the industrial carbon tax was the source of the delay with Alberta.

“No,” Carney said. “The effective carbon price in this country is actually quite low relative to the headline price, in the $20 to $30 in most Canadian markets, and that’s something we are working to rectify.”

In the MOU, Ottawa offers to consider approving future pipelines and lift the production cap on Alberta’s oil ands gas sector, in exchange for Alberta accepting Ottawa’s industrial carbon tax of $130 per tonne.

Economist Jack Mintz warns the requirements demanded by Ottawa in the MOU could price Alberta’s oil out of much of the market due to increased costs.

A Canadian company has halted its planned $8-billion expansion in Alberta due to concerns over an increased carbon tax.

“Carbon taxes make life more expensive for Albertans and it’s mind-boggling that Saskatchewan is the only province standing up to Ottawa about this,” said Sims. “We are seeing increased costs and jobs being scared away to the United States and it’s time to scrap all carbon taxes in Canada.”

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