VANCOUVER — BC Conservative leader John Rustad has warned that the BC NDP will "bankrupt" British Columbia after David Eby hinted at increasing the carbon tax on what he referred to as "big polluters."The premier made the insinuation once in an address to elected officials at the Union of BC Municipalities and again to the media immediately afterwards.."Today at UBCM, Eby showed his true colours," Rustad wrote in a post on X. "Eby is planning to massively increase the Carbon Tax on 'big polluters.' That means potentially killing LNG Canada, mining, forestry, farming, trucking — industries that pay for BC's core services. Eby's NDP will bankrupt BC.".When asked how the NDP would achieve its lofty climate goals without a consumer carbon tax, Eby dodged the question, opting instead to attack Rustad and the Conservatives. After accusing his rival of "believ[ing] that climate change is a hoax and a lie," he explained what the NDP might do to offset the loss of the consumer carbon tax."I really feel that people were being put in a position for their families of choosing between taking climate action and supporting climate action, and paying for the basics," he said. "When people are put in that situation, people are forced to choose to look after their families and look after the basics, and that should not be the case in British Columbia."Eby went on to note that his government would "make sure that everyday British Columbians ... who are just trying to make it through day to day are protected," while ensuring that, "big polluters, the oil and gas companies that are making record profits, will pay a carbon price in British Columbia to encourage them to reduce their carbon emissions."He suggested that there is where BC would "see the big reductions.".Eby reiterated his sentiments towards "big polluters," telling reporters that "it will require some work to be able to both remove the carbon tax for everyday British Columbians as well as ensure that industry is paying an appropriate carbon price going forward."
VANCOUVER — BC Conservative leader John Rustad has warned that the BC NDP will "bankrupt" British Columbia after David Eby hinted at increasing the carbon tax on what he referred to as "big polluters."The premier made the insinuation once in an address to elected officials at the Union of BC Municipalities and again to the media immediately afterwards.."Today at UBCM, Eby showed his true colours," Rustad wrote in a post on X. "Eby is planning to massively increase the Carbon Tax on 'big polluters.' That means potentially killing LNG Canada, mining, forestry, farming, trucking — industries that pay for BC's core services. Eby's NDP will bankrupt BC.".When asked how the NDP would achieve its lofty climate goals without a consumer carbon tax, Eby dodged the question, opting instead to attack Rustad and the Conservatives. After accusing his rival of "believ[ing] that climate change is a hoax and a lie," he explained what the NDP might do to offset the loss of the consumer carbon tax."I really feel that people were being put in a position for their families of choosing between taking climate action and supporting climate action, and paying for the basics," he said. "When people are put in that situation, people are forced to choose to look after their families and look after the basics, and that should not be the case in British Columbia."Eby went on to note that his government would "make sure that everyday British Columbians ... who are just trying to make it through day to day are protected," while ensuring that, "big polluters, the oil and gas companies that are making record profits, will pay a carbon price in British Columbia to encourage them to reduce their carbon emissions."He suggested that there is where BC would "see the big reductions.".Eby reiterated his sentiments towards "big polluters," telling reporters that "it will require some work to be able to both remove the carbon tax for everyday British Columbians as well as ensure that industry is paying an appropriate carbon price going forward."
