Liberal members of Parliament must choose what’s more important: loyalty to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, or helping their constituents heat their homes.
MPs are set to vote on a motion to remove the carbon tax from all home heating bills on Monday.
This would expand Trudeau’s plan to remove the carbon tax from furnace oil for three years, which totally had nothing to do with collapsing poll numbers in Atlantic Canada.
Up to 40 per cent of homes in Atlantic Canadian provinces use furnace oil for heat during the winter.
They’re now getting relief because of Liberal MP Ken McDonald from Newfoundland and Labrador.
He was the only Liberal MP who stood up for his constituents and voted to “repeal all carbon taxes.” That took courage. And it’ll make it easier for folks in Atlantic Canada to stay warm this winter.
But 97 per cent of Canadian families use other fuels to keep the heat on. And they’ll be getting no relief from Trudeau’s carbon tax carve-out.
The carbon tax on natural gas will cost the average family about $300 this year. It will cost the average family about $1,100 over three years as Trudeau cranks up the carbon tax.
The Conservatives and the NDP already said they will vote to support the motion.
That leaves the Liberals as the only major national party standing between all Canadians and the carbon tax relief they need this winter.
Will other Liberal MPs show the same courage McDonald did and stand up for their constituents too?
That stand would be the difference. The prime minister credited his “amazing” Atlantic MPs as the reason folks in that region are getting help.
Others extended that logic.
“Perhaps they need to elect more Liberals,” said federal Minister Gudie Hutchings, when asked why the Trudeau government isn’t giving most Canadians carbon tax relief.
Only one problem: the Liberals already have 134 MPs outside of Atlantic Canada.
Are there any “amazing” Liberal MPs outside Atlantic Canada?
For the sake of bringing transparency to a typically faceless caucus, let’s name some names.
Patrick Weiler and Wilson Miao are Liberal MPs in British Columbia. Will they stand up for British Columbians?
George Chahal is the lone Liberal in Calgary. What say you, Mr. Chalal?
Ben Carr, Terry Duguid and Kevin Lamoureux are Liberal MPs in Manitoba. It’s a good bet folks in Winterpeg could use help on their home heating bills.
Ontario has 76 Liberal MPs, so there are lots of names to pick from. Here are a few:
Leah Taylor Roy, Bryan May, Valerie Bradford, Tim Louis, Arielle Kayabaga, Vance Badawey, Terry Sheehan, Chris Bittle, Marcus Powlowski, James Maloney and Mark Gerretsen.
Will these MPs be able to look their constituents in the eye when they go knocking at the doors during the next election?
And Atlantic MPs shouldn’t be popping champagne just yet.
Yes, they secured relief for some of their constituents. But even in the Atlantic provinces, most families don’t use furnace oil and won’t see a cent of carbon tax relief.
There are two questions Liberal MPs must ask themselves before the upcoming vote:
Will they stand up for all their constituents? Or will they just follow orders from the prime minister?
Fortunately, the solution is simple.
All MPs should vote for the motion to remove the carbon tax from all Canadians’ home heating bills.
This column was originally published in the Toronto Sun on Nov. 3, 2023.
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