Wednesday, January 04, 2017

Vernon politician calls for carbon tax changes

by Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star Vernon posted Jan 4, 2017 at 2:00 PM
A Vernon politician is rallying the troops against the tax man. Coun. Bob Spiers has launched an online petition to have the goods and services tax removed from the carbon tax. “I don’t believe any tax should be collected on a tax,” he said. B.C. initiated a carbon tax in 2008 and the five per cent federal GST is levied on it. “We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to eliminate the GST being charged on this or any other future carbon tax enacted by the provinces or territories,” states the petition. About $63 million was collected in B.C. in 2016. “The amount of money is incredible. Alberta projects $60 million in 2017,” said Spiers. Spiers pays about $125 a year in GST-related carbon tax for residential natural gas. “Every time you gas up the car, there is GST on the carbon tax,” he said.
Spiers is hopeful the federal government will take the issue seriously.

“Our prime minister has said that all monies generated from the carbon tax would remain in the province where they are collected so petition may be preempted by his recognition that GST should no longer be collected on carbon tax,” he said.  Spiers has the support of MP Mel Arnold and his Vernon council colleagues. An e-petition must receive a minimum of 500 signatures to be presented in the House of Commons. The petition is open for signature until May 4.

The petition can be found at https://petitions.parl.gc.ca/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-713

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