One of the carbon tax’s most ardent supporters now says he’s willing to replace it with another measure instead of taxing consumers directly.
Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault shockingly told Radio-Canada, CBC’s French-language division, that he is ready to replace the consumer portion of the carbon tax with another measure to fight climate change amid widespread disapproval of the tax.
This is the first time Guilbeault has indicated openness to replacing any component of the tax.
“In the fight against climate change, this measure is important, but it’s not the only one… I’m not saying that it’s not an important measure, but it will have to be replaced by something else,” said Guilbeault. “Our plan to fight climate change is much broader than just this one measure.”
Guilbeault clarified to Radio-Canada that he was considering replacing the consumer portion of the carbon tax but not the industrial carbon tax, which he said is responsible for a greater reduction of greenhouse gasses.
The environment minister previously championed the carbon tax and even proposed a new one — a global carbon tax on maritime shipping.
Guilbeault was also the mastermind behind forcing banks to relabel carbon tax rebates for direct deposits, as he believed that Canadians’ widespread opposition to the carbon tax was because they didn’t understand it well enough.
He said that he wants Canada’s fight against climate change to continue and that the Liberals’ plan is working.
“For the first time in the country’s history, we’re reducing our pollution while the economy is operating at full capacity,” said Guilbeualt.
According to his department’s own data, emissions increased in Canada between 2020 and 2021, and between 2021 and 2022. There are no more recent data available.
The Parliamentary Budget Officer has repeatedly proven that Canadians get less in carbon tax rebates than they pay out.
The Canadian Taxpayers Federation revealed that the carbon tax will cost the Canadian economy $12 billion in 2024 and $30 billion annually by 2030.
Guilbeault’s newfound opposition comes amid the Liberal Party of Canada’s leadership election.
Taxpayer advocates have called on the top two candidates, Chrystia Freeland and Mark Carney, to prove they oppose the carbon tax after being such staunch supporters for so long.
Freeland promised to run an anti-carbon tax campaign. Carney has allegedly told Liberal MPs privately that he would repeal the consumer carbon tax while keeping the industrial.
Guilbeault is one of the last Canadians to oppose the carbon tax. Seven out of ten provincial premiers and 70% of Canadians previously joined the revolt against the carbon tax back in Mar. 2024. NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh stopped supporting the carbon tax scheme in Sept. 2024. British Columbia Premier David Eby also said in Sept. 2024 that he would be open to ditching the tax despite leading the jurisdiction that was the first to implement it.
English