National
Trudeau’s environment minister proclaims himself ‘proud socialist’ before House of Commons
From LifeSiteNews
Steven Guilbeault made the declaration during a debate about the impact of carbon tax policies on soaring energy bills
Minister of Environment Steven Guilbeault proudly proclaimed before the House of Commons on Tuesday that he is a “proud socialist” during a debate over a carbon tax the federal government has imposed on Canadians that has contributed to sky-high energy bills.
“I’m a Liberal and a proud socialist,” Guilbeault said after being asked a question by Conservative Party of Canada (CPC) MP Ted Falk concerning the carbon tax.
Guilbeault then blamed former conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper for not “believing” in “climate change” as a reason the current conservatives do not support a carbon tax.
“This reminds me of a certain quote from Prime Minister Harper who talked about the fight against climate change as a socialist plot,” he said.
“Here it is, you have it again, Mr. Speaker. They do not believe that climate change is an issue. They do not believe we should do anything about it.”
Where did he say this? I would love to share the clip.
— Nicholas Grillo🍎🍎 (@nicholas_grillo) November 7, 2023
Falk had said to Guilbeault before his “socialist” response that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has created a “carbon tax” coalition with other socialist and separatist entities in Canada to cause financial pain for Canadians.
“After eight years, we now have the socialists, the separatists, and this prime minister who’s just not worth the cost,” Falk said.
“They’re all part of this costly carbon tax coalition that is leaving Canadians out in the cold.”
Trudeau has many times before blamed Harper for his government’s ills, it should be noted.
Reaction to Guilbeault’s comments came swiftly from many Canadian political pundits and others.
“Steven Guilbeault isn’t just a ‘proud socialist,’ he’s a total nutbar, climate extremist and incompetent minister,” wrote Paul Mitchell, a former People’s Party of Canada candidate and political commentator on X (formerly Twitter).
“Every provincial premier should demand that Guilbeault be sacked. Dealing with him is intolerable.”
Jim Murphy, a retired Toronto police officer, wrote on X, “I’m a bit confused, shouldn’t @s_guilbeaultbe a member of the NDP and not the @liberal_party? Serious question.”
The carbon tax has been a hot topic in the House of Commons, notably after Trudeau announced about two weeks ago he was pausing the collection of the carbon tax on home heating oil for three years but only for Atlantic Canadian provinces. The current cost of the carbon tax on home heating fuel is 17 cents per liter. Most Canadians, however, heat their homes with clean-burning natural gas, which will not be exempted from the carbon tax.
Trudeau’s carbon tax pause for Atlantic Canada announcement came amid dismal polling numbers showing his government is likely to be defeated in a landslide by the Conservative Party in the next election.
As a result, the CPC under leader Pierre Poilievre introduced a motion calling for the carbon tax to be paused for all Canadians. This motion was voted down on Monday by the Liberals with support from the Bloc Quebecois.
The New Democratic Party (NDP) voted in support of the CPC motion, despite the fact they have an informal coalition with the party that began last year, agreeing to support and keep the Liberals in power until the next election is mandated by law in 2025.
As for Guilbeault, he is perhaps Trudeau’s most radical minister in terms of his extreme environmental views. He recently said the Liberal government was going to push ahead with net-zero emission regulations despite the fact Canada’s Supreme Court recently ruled against the federal government’s “no more pipelines” legislation.
Earlier this year, the CPC slammed Trudeau for having Guilbeault accept an invite from China for climate talks.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has been a staunch opponent of Trudeau’s net-zero regulations and praised the court decision as returning power to the provinces.
Guilbeault has a history of environmental activism. In 2001, he was arrested after scaling the CN Tower in Toronto as part of a stunt for Greenpeace.
The CPC has previously called out extreme views emanating from the Liberal Party.
In September, Poilievre called Trudeau and his father Pierre Elliot Trudeau “Marxists” when asked by an Ontario resident what could be done to help prevent Canada from going “down” due to Liberal policies.
LifeSiteNews reported last month how Trudeau’s carbon tax is costing Canadians hundreds of dollars annually, as the rebates given out by the federal government are not enough to compensate for the increased fuel costs.
The Trudeau government’s current environmental goals – in lockstep with the United Nations’ “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” – include phasing out coal-fired power plants, reducing fertilizer usage, and curbing natural gas use over the coming decades.
The reduction and eventual elimination of the use of so-called “fossil fuels” and a transition to unreliable “green” energy has also been pushed by the World Economic Forum (WEF) – the globalist group behind the socialist “Great Reset” agenda – an organization in which Trudeau and some of his cabinet are involved.
Business
Liberals to increase CBC funding to nearly $2 billion per year
From LifeSiteNews
The Department of Canadian Heritage promised funding to offset the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s nearly 10 percent drop in ad revenue last year despite an audience share of 1.7 percent, meaning over 98 percent of the country is not watching the network.
The Liberal government has promised to spend millions of taxpayer dollars to compensate CBC-TV for ads that the network cannot sell.
According to information released January 20 by Blacklock’s Reporter, the Liberal-run Department of Canadian Heritage will give CBC millions more, bringing the network’s total parliamentary grant near $2 billion a year.
“The CBC has been grappling with a range of financial pressures that are challenging its ability to maintain programming and service levels,” Liberals argued, adding that their department will be “providing additional funding to make it less reliant on private advertising with a goal of eliminating advertising during news and other public affairs shows.”
“The CBC is a pillar of Canada’s creative economy, a key provider of programming made by and for Canadians and a significant source of trusted news and information,” Liberals claimed.
“This government is committed to ensuring the sustainability of the CBC so that it can continue to create public value and adapt to the needs and expectations of Canadians,” the department continued.
The increased government subsidies come after an October report found that CBC’s advertising revenue dropped nearly 10 percent last year.
Furthermore, CBC’s own quarterly report found that its network audience share is only 1.7%, meaning more than 98% of Canadians are not watching CBC.
However, Liberals have chosen to ignore the fact that Canadians are not watching CBC, instead spending millions of dollars to prop up the failing outlet.
Beginning in 2019, Parliament changed the Income Tax Act to give yearly rebates of 25 percent for each news employee in cabinet-approved media outlets earning up to $55,000 a year to a maximum of $13,750.
The Department of Canadian Heritage since admitted that the payouts are not even sufficient to keep legacy media outlets running and recommended that the rebates be doubled to a maximum of $29,750 annually.
Last November, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau again announced increased payouts for legacy media outlets that coincide with the leadup to the 2025 election. The subsidies are expected to cost taxpayers $129 million over the next five years.
That amount to the CBC is in addition to massive media payouts that already make up roughly 70 percent of its operating budget and total more than $1 billion annually.
However, many have pointed out that the obscene amount of money thrown at CBC by Liberals is a ploy to buy the outlet’s loyalty.
Furthermore, in October, Canadian Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge’s department admitted that federally funded media outlets buy “social cohesion.”
Additionally, in September, House leader Karina Gould directed mainstream media reporters to “scrutinize” Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre, who has repeatedly condemned government-funded media as an arm of the Liberals.
Gould’s comments were in reference to Poilievre’s promise to defund the CBC if elected prime minister. Poilievre is a longtime critic of government-funded media, especially the CBC.
Business
Freeland and Carney owe Canadians clear answer on carbon taxes
From the Canadian Taxpayers Federation
The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is calling on Liberal leadership front-runners Chrystia Freeland and Mark Carney to clearly state whether they will scrap the carbon tax.
“Taxpayers have one simple question for anyone who wants to be prime minister: Will you scrap the carbon tax?” said Franco Terrazzano, CTF Federal Director. “Freeland is running on her experience as finance minister, but she gave a rambling response about listening to Canadians instead of giving a clear and credible answer. Carney is running on his economic expertise as a central banker, but his response didn’t provide any clarity beyond a vague suggestion that he’s working on a replacement scheme.
“How can Freeland or Carney hope to have a shred of credibility if they don’t have a clear answer to the question: Will you scrap the carbon tax?”
Freeland was asked about the carbon tax during her leadership campaign launch in Toronto on Sunday.
“We have heard very clearly from Canadians in provinces where there is a consumer-facing price on carbon that they don’t like it,” Freeland said. “That’s something that we have to listen to. Democracy means when people tell you something you have to listen. I will say our party hasn’t been good enough at that. That has to change, and I am going to change that.”
Carney was equally unclear on the carbon tax at his campaign launch in Edmonton on Thursday.
“If you are going to take out the carbon tax, we should replace it with something that is at least, if not more, effective,” Carney said. “Perception may be that it takes out more than the rebate provides but reality is different, and Canadians will miss that money, so you need a comprehensive approach.”
Liberal Government House Leader Karina Gould also announced her leadership campaign on Sunday. Gould said she would keep the carbon tax but would “immediately cancel the increase to the price on pollution ahead of April 1.”
The federal carbon tax is set to increase on April 1 to 21 cents per litre of gasoline, 25 cents per litre of diesel and 18 cents per cubic metre of natural gas.
Prior to the carbon tax hike last year, a Leger poll commissioned by the CTF showed 69 per cent of Canadians opposed the carbon tax increase.
“Gould figured out it would be bad if the carbon tax goes up right at the start of an election campaign,” said Kris Sims, CTF Alberta Director. “But Canadian’s don’t want half-measures as proven by the backlash against the temporary carbon-tax exemption for home heating oil.
“Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been clear from the start he would keep the carbon tax and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has been clear he would axe the tax. Anyone who wants to be a credible candidate for prime minister needs a crystal-clear answer for this question: Will you scrap the carbon tax?”
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