by Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star Vernon posted Feb 21, 2017 at 10:00 AM
Lobbying to remove a tax from a tax is escalating. Vernon council met Tuesday to ask B.C.’s municipal leaders to sign a petition that wants the goods and services tax removed from the carbon tax. “A federal tax on a provincial tax shouldn’t happen,” said Coun. Bob Spiers, who authored the online petition. The petition was launched Jan. 4 and it currently has 1,264 signatures. A minimum of 500 names were needed to ensure MP Mel Arnold will table the it in the House of Commons after the petition is closed for signatures May 4.
B.C. initiated a carbon tax in 2008 and the five per cent federal GST is levied on it. About $63 million was collected in B.C. in 2016 and the projection is for $60 million in Alberta in 2017. Spiers says the double tax impacts anyone heating their home or fuelling their vehicle. “It’s taking money away from ordinary people.” The city is asking the Southern Interior Local Government Association and the Union of B.C. Municipalities to encourage mayors, councillors and regional district directors to sign the petition. “We’re looking for support from them as individuals on this. They should be able to support this,” said Mayor Akbal Mund.
The petition can be found at https://petitions.parl.gc.ca/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-713
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