EDMONTON, AB: The NDP government must back down from its carbon tax and other punishing taxes and regulations after it was reported drilling in Alberta is expected to drop by a further 25 per cent this year.
In the announcement by the Canadian Association of Oilwell Drilling Contractors, President Mark Scholz directly pointed to the NDP government’s new carbon tax and business tax increases as making a bad situation even worse for Alberta’s drilling industry.
“As the price of oil was nosediving, the NDP government stubbornly doubled down on tax increases and introduced a new $3 billion carbon tax that they never campaigned on without thinking twice about the consequences,” Wildrose Leader Brian Jean said. “While the NDP isn’t responsible for low oil prices, they have made a bad situation much, much worse by helping to spur further job losses leaving many families suffering and wondering what to do next.”
Wildrose Shadow Energy Minister Leela Aheer said that the NDP government promised a new carbon tax would give Alberta social license for new pipelines, but so far all it has done is led to even more investment fleeing our province.
“We have a federal government in Ottawa right now that doesn’t care that regulatory hearings into new pipeline projects are being hijacked by radical activists and an NDP government here in Alberta that has chased away investment with their anti-industry policies,” Aheer said. “It’s time for the NDP to put their ideology aside and start doing what’s in the best interest of Albertans and our energy sector.”