Alberta Finance Minister Nate Horner’s office issued a strong statement in support of Premier Smith’s claim that the carbon tax is costing more Canadians than the rebates are helping them, despite the federal Liberals’ attempts to cherry-pick a report.

The back-and-forth on the true cost of the carbon tax between the Trudeau Liberals and just about everyone else escalated on Tuesday, with Premier Smith responding to an open letter from academic economists who supported the tax, by suggesting that they’re “ivory tower” ideologues who need to step into the “real world.” 

The Premier further noted that, with the latest carbon tax hike from Trudeau and socialist Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeault, Albertans who use natural gas to heat their homes are paying more than twice on the carbon tax than they pay for the fuel itself.

“On home heating, the federal government is now going to be charging $4.09 on the carbon tax and the gas only cost $1.72,” Smith said.

“I don’t know on what planet anyone thinks that charging 2 1/2 times on a carbon tax with the base price of fuel is, especially in a cold climate like ours, makes any sense.”

Finance Minister backs Smith

On Wednesday, the UCP’s Finance Minister’s office backed the Premier’s claims that the tax is hurting Canadians more than the rebates help. 

“The Parliamentary Budget Office said that Canadians will pay more in carbon taxes than they will receive in rebates, and that is not in dispute,” said Justin Brattinga, Senior Press Secretary from the Ministry of Treasury Board and Finance.

“To directly quote the PBO: ‘When both fiscal and economic impacts of the federal fuel charge are considered, we estimate that most households will see a net loss. Based on our analysis, most households will pay more in fuel charges and GST—as well as receiving slightly lower incomes—than they will receive in Climate Action Incentive payments,’ he added.

Brattinga also mentioned that, despite how high the tax already is, the Liberal-NDP coalition is planning to double it between now and 2030.

“And that will punish Canadians,” he said. 

Liberals hike carbon tax, claim that even Liberal Premier who opposes it is playing politics

In a press conference on Monday, Prime Minister Just Trudeau stated that Newfoundland’s Liberal Premier Andrew Furey is utterly mistaken in his assessment that the carbon tax costs most Canadians more than the rebates benefit them.

The Liberals maintain that four out of five Canadians are better off financially because of the carbon tax rebates the government issues.