I would like our NDP MLA Cam Westhead to post a letter explaining to the people of Cochrane and area how the increase in the Carbon Tax on natural gas is in any way a fair tax.
We see that the carbon tax on a litre of gasoline is going up to seven cents per litre in January 2018; or let's say about five per cent. The tax on natural gas is also going up, but by $0.50 per gigajoule to $1.52 per gigajoule in January. I work in the natural gas industry so I know the wholesale price of natural gas is about $2.00 per gigajoule right now and should be about the same in 2018. This makes the Carbon Levy on natural gas close to 75 per cent!
Mr. Westhead, why we are paying a 75 per cent carbon levy on one of the cleanest burning fuels? This will cause more families to have less money to pay all of their other bills. How can MLA Westhead defend this egregious tax when Alberta is still suffering from the effects of high unemployment, stagnant wages and increasing costs for everything?
It is well past time for our MLA to bring these concerns forward to the legislature instead of hiding behind the NDP mantra of carbon taxes somehow working to improve Alberta.
I look forward to his response and a promise to working for the people of Cochrane instead of against us, but I am skeptical I will get one.
Bob Lee
