Image Credit: The Canadian Press

By Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Donna Barnett

Sound Off

SOUND OFF: Horgan and NDP choose not to provide relief to drivers

Apr 25, 2019 | 10:15 AM

FOR MORE THAN A YEAR, our BC Liberal caucus has been urging John Horgan to do something about gas prices in British Columbia. Even though Horgan controls just over 23 cents per litre of gas in the Interior, he refuses to provide any tax relief to drivers. He could lower the motor vehicle fuel sales tax or transit tax, but he isn’t — and that means British Columbians are paying the highest gas prices in North America right now.

The carbon tax, which just went up again on April 1^st, is another contributor. Although the carbon tax was a creation of the BC Liberals, it was the NDP who removed its revenue neutrality. We now know that only 15 per cent of the tax collected will support the NDP’s CleanBC plan, which is appallingly low. So the higher carbon tax that you’re paying at the pump isn’t even going to green initiatives as promised.

John Horgan and the NDP also continue to block the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion and the jobs, revenues and gas price relief that would come with it. Dan McTeague with GasBuddy.com has said that if the project proceeds, gas prices would go down about 10 cents a litre, which would provide significant relief to B.C. drivers.

Meanwhile, given the outcome of the recent Alberta election, the situation could get even worse if Premier-elect Jason Kenney decides to go ahead with legislation to ‘turn off the taps’ of oil and gas flowing to B.C. – a circumstance that could raise those prices by up to 30 cents per litre. Despite that threat, the NDP continues to use ‘every tool in the toolbox’ to block the pipeline expansion, even wasting time and money by launching conflicting lawsuits over the project.

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But it’s not just the price at the pump that British Columbians are rightfully concerned about. Keep an eye on those home heating bills, and the price of goods on the shelves of your local grocery stores. Despite promising affordability for British Columbians, it seems the cost of nearly everything is going up thanks to the NDP’s insistence on blocking important projects and raising taxes, rather than developing a real plan to grow B.C.’s economy.

Make no mistake, John Horgan and the NDP have tools at their disposal to provide some relief to you and your family — but they continue to be completely dismissive of the problem, choosing to do nothing as costs continue to soar and your wallet just keeps getting lighter.

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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group.