EDMONTON, AB: The NDP government’s stubborn plan to enforce a carbon tax, despite the United States’ plan to have no carbon tax over the next four years, will put Alberta jobs at risk, the Wildrose Official Opposition said.
Several industry representatives have expressed fear about the damage a carbon tax will inflict on Alberta given the American election results.
“If our major competitor … isn’t levying a carbon tax on energy-intensive industries, there’s a real risk that those industries are going to migrate out of jurisdictions that levy that kind of tax.” – Gary Leach, president of the Explorers and Producers Association of Canada
“Alberta is going to continue to be less competitive and, ultimately, that is bad news for Alberta’s economy and Alberta workers.” – Mark Scholz, president of the Canadian Association of Oilwell Drilling Contractors
Wildrose Leader Brian Jean said it’s time for Ottawa and the NDP to put ideology aside and start working for Alberta’s best interests.
“Putting a carbon tax on Albertans now makes less sense than ever. We need to continue to do what we can in the work to reduce global emissions, but we shouldn’t be asked to directly put our economy at risk,” Jean said. “When major western countries across the world are either repealing, scrapping or rejecting a carbon tax, it should be a signal the NDP to either scrap their plans or at the very least let Albertans have their say through a referendum.”