Business
Why should Liberal MPs defend the carbon tax now?
From the Canadian Taxpayers Federation
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s carbon tax should be tucked under his arm while he doesn’t let the door hit them on the way out.
And Liberal caucus members need to make sure that happens.
Those in doubt need to ask themselves two questions.
Practically, why should Canadians keep paying the carbon tax for another few months before the next election?
Politically, why should government MPs keep paying a price with voters because of the carbon tax?
The carbon tax can be slayed on Wednesday during the Liberal party’s emergency caucus meeting.
Caucus finally rose up and finally forced the prime minister to face the reality that he can’t get re-elected.
But that’s only half of the job.
The problem isn’t just one person. It’s the policies. And Trudeau’s trademark carbon tax is one of his biggest failures. Replacing the PM while keeping the carbon tax is like switching the blackjack dealer while still facing a stacked deck.
And the Liberal caucus knows this.
Those Liberal MPs have been yelled at by their constituents about the carbon tax for years.
Hardworking people have been telling these MPs they can’t afford the carbon tax and it’s unfair to be punished for driving to work, heating their homes and buying food.
Those MPs have seen their constituents’ heating bills, the costs of their commutes and the invoices for their businesses.
They know the carbon tax adds about $13 to the cost of filling a minivan and about $20 extra to fill a pickup. They know the carbon tax is costing long haul truckers about $2 billion this year and they know it will cost farmers $1 billion in the next five years.
They know Canada misses its emissions targets, even with the carbon tax.
And here’s the big one: these MPs know the carbon tax is getting hiked on April 1.
The timeline has to be terrifying for Liberals seeking re-election.
March 24, the House of Commons reconvenes.
The government presents its Throne speech and immediately starts facing confidence votes with all opposition parties promising to vote against the government.
Then, on April 1, the government raises the carbon tax again.
Imagine door knocking after losing a confidence vote and raising the carbon tax.
Imagine being an MP from southern Ontario and a greenhouse tomato grower walks into your office with a chart showing his carbon tax costs.
Imagine trying to tell that farmer that he “gets more back” than he pays in the carbon tax.
Picture being an MP from Halifax and telling your constituents they need to buy an electric heat pump as their sole source of winter warmth before the carbon tax slaps them again.
Nova Scotia has charming weather events such as ice fog which seeps into a house like a ghost from a Dickens novel. So, most Maritime folks still need a furnace and Trudeau’s carbon tax punishes them.
These MPs have all been hollered at by their constituents who have been wounded by the carbon tax.
No matter how much the MPs may have pleaded with Trudeau behind closed doors, he kept the carbon tax and forced his MPs to defend it.
Trudeau tied this millstone to the necks of his MPs and didn’t care how much it ground them down.
But he’s leaving now.
And these Liberal MPs have the opportunity to cut the rope and free themselves from Trudeau’s carbon tax.
The Liberal caucus is holding an emergency meeting on Parliament Hill on Wednesday, and those members of Parliament need to demand an end to carbon tax then and there.
Why should they force Canadians to keep muttering profanities when they fill up their cars or pay the carbon tax charges on their heating bills?
Why should Liberal MPs face day after day of berating phone calls from constituents who don’t buy PMO talking points about the carbon tax?
The least they can do is spare Canadians the cost of the carbon tax right now and try to do the right thing in the end.
On Wednesday, Liberal MPs have to demand an end to the carbon tax.
MxM News
Quick Hit:
Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced Tuesday that the province is suspending its 25% surcharge on electricity exports to the U.S. following President Trump’s decision to double tariffs on Canadian aluminum and steel.
Key Details:
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Ford confirmed Ontario’s suspension of the electricity surcharge after Trump’s tariff escalation put Canadian industries under pressure.
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The Ontario premier said he and Lutnick would meet with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on Thursday in Washington to discuss a “renewed USMCA.”
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In a statement on X, Ford acknowledged the move, stating, “In response, Ontario agreed to suspend its 25 percent surcharge on exports of electricity to Michigan, New York and Minnesota.”
Diving Deeper:
Just hours after President Trump doubled tariffs on Canadian aluminum and steel, Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced Tuesday that the province will suspend its 25% electricity surcharge on power exports to three U.S. states. The policy reversal comes as Ontario seeks to avoid further economic retaliation from Washington.
Trump’s latest round of tariffs—upping duties on Canadian steel and aluminum to 50%—were issued in direct response to Ontario’s electricity tax on U.S. consumers in Michigan, New York, and Minnesota. The move threatened to escalate an already tense trade standoff, with Trump warning of additional penalties targeting Canada’s auto sector if broader trade disputes weren’t addressed.
Ford took to X to confirm Ontario’s decision to pull back on the surcharge, saying he had a “productive conversation” with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. The two will meet in Washington on Thursday alongside U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer to discuss a possible “renewed USMCA,” signaling a potential shift in trade relations between the two nations.
“In response, Ontario agreed to suspend its 25 percent surcharge on exports of electricity to Michigan, New York and Minnesota,” Ford and Lutnick stated in a joint announcement.
The suspension of Ontario’s surcharge marks a significant concession in the ongoing trade dispute, which has sent shockwaves through financial markets and rattled Canadian industries. Trump had labeled Ontario’s surcharge an “abusive threat” and pledged to take decisive action to ensure American energy security.
Beyond the immediate tariff battle, Ford’s willingness to engage in talks about a “renewed USMCA” could indicate Canada’s growing concern over Trump’s broader trade agenda. The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, originally signed during Trump’s first term, remains a key economic framework, but Trump has long criticized Canada’s tariffs on American dairy and its limited contributions to North American security.
While Ontario’s suspension of the electricity surcharge could ease tensions in the short term, the broader U.S.-Canada trade relationship remains in flux as Trump continues pushing for more favorable terms for American industries.
MxM News
Quick Hit:
President Trump announced Tuesday an additional 25% tariff on Canadian steel and aluminum imports, raising the total levy to 50%, in retaliation for Ontario’s decision to charge Americans in three border states 25% more for electricity.
Key Details:
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Trump declared Ontario’s electricity surcharge on New York, Michigan, and Minnesota as an “abusive threat,” vowing to declare a National Emergency to counteract its impact.
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The president threatened to impose a steep tariff on Canadian automobile imports by April 2nd if other longstanding trade disputes aren’t resolved, warning that it could “permanently shut down the automobile manufacturing business in Canada.”
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Trump also called out Canada’s minimal contributions to military security, arguing that the U.S. subsidizes the country’s defense by more than $200 billion a year, saying, “This cannot continue.”
Diving Deeper:
President Trump took direct aim at Canada on Tuesday, unveiling an aggressive tariff hike on steel and aluminum imports from America’s northern neighbor. The move raises the current duty by an additional 25%, bringing the total to 50%, and follows Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s controversial decision to slap a 25% surcharge on electricity exports to U.S. border states.
Trump, in a post on Truth Social, blasted Ontario’s move as an “abusive threat” to American energy consumers and promised swift action. “I will shortly be declaring a National Emergency on Electricity within the threatened area,” Trump wrote, saying this would enable the U.S. to “quickly do what has to be done” to counteract Canada’s pricing.
But the trade battle didn’t stop there. Trump also called on Canada to eliminate tariffs of up to 390% on American dairy exports, a policy the president previously fought against during his first term. If Canada fails to act, Trump warned he would ramp up the pressure by imposing new tariffs on Canadian car exports, a move he said would effectively cripple the country’s auto industry.
“If other egregious, long-time Tariffs are not likewise dropped by Canada, I will substantially increase, on April 2nd, the Tariffs on Cars coming into the U.S., which will, essentially, permanently shut down the automobile manufacturing business in Canada,” Trump warned.
In addition to the latest tariffs, Trump took a broader swipe at Canada’s role in global security, reiterating a long-held grievance that the U.S. shoulders an unfair burden for its northern ally’s defense. “Canada pays very little for National Security, relying on the United States for military protection,” Trump wrote. “We are subsidizing Canada to the tune of more than 200 Billion Dollars a year. WHY??? This cannot continue.”
Trump then again floated annexing Canada into the United States to eliminate trade barriers and lower Canadian taxes. “The only thing that makes sense is for Canada to become our cherished Fifty-First State,” he wrote, claiming this would bring economic relief and greater security. “And your brilliant anthem, ‘O Canada,’ will continue to play, but now representing a GREAT and POWERFUL STATE within the greatest Nation that the World has ever seen!”
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