Home »
Local MLAs assailed for Kevin Falcon’s “carbon tax hypocrisy”
A coastal BC NDP MLA is singling out the two BC United MLAs from the East Kootenay from 24 other BC United MLAs as being accountable for party leader Kevin Falcon’s position on the carbon tax.
Langford-Juan de Fuca MLA Ravi Parmar Dec. 1 issued a media release stating Kootenay East MLA Tom Shypitka and Columbia River-Revelstoke MLA Doug Clovechok are accountable for Falcon’s “hypocrisy on the carbon tax.
“For 15 years, Kevin Falcon proudly supported the carbon tax,” said Parmar. “But now that John Rustad is campaigning against it, Falcon is suddenly saying he’s against it too. Nobody knows where he really stands.”
Just four months ago, Kevin Falcon said to CHEK TV in Victoria: “I was always proud to be part of the government that brought in North America’s first revenue neutral carbon tax, and I’m really, really proud of that, Parmar stated.
But after losing supporters to the BC Conservatives (who oppose the carbon tax), Falcon suddenly tried to shift his position this month, he noted.
“Kevin Falcon has shown a staggering lack of principle on the carbon tax,” said Parmar. “BCUP MLAs like Tom Shypitka and Doug Clovechok need to answer for their leader’s complete hypocrisy on the carbon tax.”
When Falcon was running to become BC Liberal Leader, he cited the carbon tax as an example of the type of leadership he wanted to “bring back.”
“Remember, it was the B.C. Liberals that brought in the revenue neutral carbon tax,” Falcon said at a leadership debate in 2021. “It was the NDP that opposed us in bringing that in, that fought an election and lost trying to oppose us on the carbon tax. That’s the kind of leadership that I want to bring back. We are going to lead on the climate file.”
Falcon’s claim that his carbon tax was revenue-neutral is false, Parmar said.
“Whether you’re in favour of the carbon tax or against it, it’s impossible to trust Kevin Falcon on it. He’ll say anything about it to get elected.”
MLAs Clovechok and Shypitka issued a joint statement following Parmar’s media release.
“Kevin Falcon and a BC United government would end David Eby’s planned carbon tax hikes, recognizing British Columbians can’t afford further NDP tax hikes during a cost-of- living crisis.
“It’s important to note that the previous BC Liberal government implemented the revenue- neutral carbon tax as a measure that would help our environment without costing families. Importantly, it made sure that any tax collected was returned back into the pockets of British Columbians. Since 2017, the NDP transformed the carbon tax into a cash grab that is harming families at a time when people can barely afford to put food on their tables,” the local MLAs pointed out.
“Furthermore, the now BC Conservative leader, who has no affiliation with the federal party, was present as an MLA with the BC Liberals and voted in full favour of this tax. The other hypocrisy is that when the carbon tax was first adopted in 2008, the BC NDP led a campaign to ‘axe the tax.’
“British Columbia is already the least affordable province in Canada, and it is shameful to see David Eby and the NDP continue to support a tax grab that the rest of the country wants to remove. But unlike the NDP, we think B.C. can be a climate leader in a way that doesn’t come at the expense of prosperity and affordability for people.
“At BC United, we plan on canceling David Eby’s carbon tax hikes, removing the carbon tax on home heating, and eliminating the carbon tax for on-farm fuel use in addition to the elimination of the provincial gas tax, which will save families up to $30 every time you fill up,” Clovechok and Shypitka said.
“For what started as a responsible pricing signal in 2008, has now turned into a government cash-cow for the NDP with absolutely no results and costing British Columbians over 11,000 a family and generational debt – it took the provincial debt 140 years to get to 50Billion, the NDP will double that in just 8 years.
“That’s why we will also scrap David Eby’s so-called ‘CleanBC’ plan, so that money can go back into your pockets.
“It’s crucial that we have a government that can recognize when their policies are harming the province. Unlike the NDP’s costly plan or the BC Conservatives — whose plan is to have no plan at all — we have a plan that will both grow the economy and cut global emissions.
“At the end of the day, if you want to make life more affordable, you must make it less expensive.”
e-KNOW
