Article content
I find it interesting that Big Oil imposes a new six-cent/litre carbon fuel increase just a week before Canada’s new three-cent/litre carbon fuel price takes effect. And that the Alberta government imposes a new four-cent carbon fuel tax on the same day Canada’s new three-cent carbon fuel price takes effect.
Article content
And how do conservatives respond to Big Oil’s price increase and to the Alberta government’s tax increase, which together take 10 cents from your pocket never to be seen again? Not a peep.
Article content
How do they respond when Canada takes three cents from one pocket and puts it back into your other pocket, which together has an impact of nothing? They complain — about nothing. I imagine a herd of sheep, transfixed by the nearby border collie, while the two wolves circle.
Brian Kropf, Edmonton
Spare Edmonton from Smith’s ‘saving’
The premier is keen to mount her white horse and save the City of Edmonton. Didn’t she do the same thing with children’s Tylenol? She believed she could do better than the federal government. How did that turn out?
Didn’t she mount her white horse to privatize and improve the province’s lab system? How did that turn out?
Since 2019 and the introduction of the grants for taxes legislation (basically exempting the provincial government from paying municipal taxes on its properties), the province has reduced its funding to Edmonton (and all municipalities) by 50 per cent. The city has been left with a shortfall of $60 million to date. A great strategy — set the city up for failure and then come in on your white horse.
Much like what our provincial government is doing to our health-care system: Set the parameters for failure by treating medical staff badly for years, underfund the system, make no investment in capital projects and voilá, you have a struggling health-care system that you can ride in and save.
Given the provincial government’s track record on “saving,” I shake in my boots.
H.M. Whitson, Edmonton
‘Nasty’ tax hike is Smith’s own
Danielle Smith has identified the recent federal raise of the carbon tax as reckless, immoral and inhumane. This tax, which is rebated to most Canadians, is meant to fight climate change. There may well be some disagreement as to whether it is successful but I am really glad that some level of government is at least trying to address the issue.
Ironically, the Alberta government has also chosen April 1 as the day it will raise the tax on gasoline. We know that the UCP does not want to keep up with inflation and increased population on health care and education. What then is the provincial tax for? Apparently, we need to use it to build up the Heritage Fund because we absolutely refuse to diversify our economy. We are committed to riding the boom-and-bust rollercoaster of fossil fuels.
So, yes, Danielle, there is a nasty tax hike this week. I just don’t think that you have identified the right one.
Alexander Adamson, Spruce Grove
Letters welcome
We invite you to write letters to the editor. A maximum of 150 words is preferred. Letters must carry a first and last name, or two initials and a last name, and include an address and daytime telephone number. All letters are subject to editing. We don’t publish letters addressed to others or sent to other publications. Email: letters@edmontonjournal.com
Share this article in your social network
