James Aylward is taking a tough stand against a carbon tax, vowing to fight the federal government in court to halt its introduction in Prince Edward Island. The Progressive Conservative leader scored some political points during a press conference Thursday. He is fighting for over-taxed Islanders against a federal government intent on imposing a carbon tax in 2019.
Mr. Aylward missed an opportunity for a knockout blow when he failed to offer an alternative, except for a general suggestion to invest in additional renewable energy options. One can perhaps assume he hopes the provincial government’s compromise plan of incentives and conservation measures will be acceptable to Ottawa. If it isn’t, and he leads the next P.E.I. government, we’re heading to court.
Mr. Aylward is gambling that his position will resonate with enough Islanders to win an election. His position certainly sets him apart from other Island parties, and aligns him with Doug Ford’s new PC government in Ontario, Jason Kenney’s PC Opposition party in Alberta, and provincial governments in Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
Mr. Aylward is right to suggest that Islanders are over-taxed but his failure to offer a detailed alternative, other than a court fight, is disappointing.
Already, Green party leader Peter Bevan-Baker has likened the PC position to sticking its head in the sand. It was an inevitable comparison. The Greens boldly support this tax as the most sensible and cost-effective way to reduce carbon.
P.E.I. Liberals also oppose a carbon tax but have offered a 32-point plan to convince Ottawa to give P.E.I. a pass. It's a compromise that recognizes carbon as a problem but that a solution can be achieved without imposing a tax. P.E.I. will submit its climate plan by Sept. 1, which includes neither a carbon tax nor a plan for a cap-and-trade system — the two acceptable options for the federal government. The province is also prepared to accept Ottawa’s carbon tax if the feds say no. Then P.E.I. can simply blame the federal government.
The immediate impact of a carbon tax is a hike in gasoline and fuel prices for Islanders - although the province has promised that farmers and fishermen would be exempt. Many Islanders must use a vehicle to earn a living and hold down a job. It seems unfair they are taxed, especially when public transit options are limited or unavailable.
Figures tabled in Parliament this spring suggest Ottawa's carbon tax would cost the average Island household $315 in 2019 with a carbon price of $20 per tonne; rising to $788 per year when the price of carbon maxes out at $50 per tonne in 2022. Those are significant numbers.
Islanders must accept that we’re part of the carbon problem and we have to be part of the solution. The province’s rebate and price reduction plan for electricity hopes to convince Islanders to use this cleaner energy option and move away from oil. It’s all part of a “made-in-P.E.I.” solution. Let’s hope Ottawa says yes.
