Whitehorse Daily Star

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EARLY-SESSION CHAT – Premier Sandy Silver (left) and interim Yukon Party leader Stacey Hassard exchange pleasantries in the legislature last Thursday afternoon. On Monday, during the new Liberal government’s first question period, the two sparred over the coming carbon tax.

Carbon tax takes starring role in question period

Yukon Party used its first (and second, and last) question as the official Opposition on Monday to grill the Yukon Liberals on the carbon tax.

By Sidney Cohen on April 25, 2017

Yukon Party used its first (and second, and last) question as the official Opposition on Monday to grill the Yukon Liberals on the carbon tax.

Interim leader Stacey Hassard charged the ruling party with not analyzing the financial impacts of a carbon tax on Yukoners, and on various sectors of the Yukon economy, before it agreed to the federal government’s carbon pricing scheme.

“Yukoners know that before you sign your name along the dotted line of a contract, you should have an understanding of what it is you’re actually agreeing to,” said Hassard.

“We would have expected that an economic analysis of the impacts of the carbon tax on Yukon families and businesses would have been done before the premier signed his name on to this carbon tax scheme.”

Premier Sandy Silver came back saying that there is no option to opt out of the carbon tax; it is coming down from Ottawa whether the Yukon likes it or not.

Now, he said, the territory is waiting on details from the federal government that will inform how the tax’s revenues are returned to Yukoners and Yukon businesses.

Hassard took Silver’s deflection as a “no”; that the Liberals have not done a formal analysis of how the carbon tax will reverberate through the Yukon’s economy.

“The answer is not ‘no’,” retorted Silver.

Indeed, he said, his Yukon Party predecessors did preliminary studies of the impacts of a carbon tax in the territory.

He was referring to documents acquired by the NDP in September 2016 that showed the Climate Change Secretariat was examining different carbon pricing models in January and February of 2016.

“There were conversations being had — which there should have been when there’s a pricing mechanism happening on a federal basis that is going to affect Yukoners,” said Silver.

“So kudos to having those original conversations.”

But the opposition pressed further. It said the Yukon Liberal government did not conduct an analysis of how the carbon tax will affect the tourism industry, as was revealed Monday in a document obtained by the Yukon Party through an access to information request.

“The tourism sector is highly competitive, and increased costs would have a negative impact on visitor numbers and economic activity across the territory,” said Tourism and Culture critic Geraldine Van Bibber.

“It seems the premier has not considered the impact on the tourism sector.”

Van Bibber reminded the House that in 2008, fuel prices spiked, and as a result, one Yukon RV park experienced a 30 per cent drop in business.

She added that the carbon tax will discourage tourism, because visitors will be forced to pay the tax at Yukon pumps, but won’t be eligible for any rebate.

“It seems the premier is essentially proposing a tax on tourism,” she said.

This is a moot point, suggested Silver, because some form of a carbon tax is being applied nationally, and “right across the world.”

Still, the premier conceded, there are “a lot of unknowns” surrounding the new tax.

He said the rest of Canada acknowledges that the North will feel the effects of a carbon tax more acutely than the provinces.

He said the Yukon government is working to make sure the tax achieves its intended aims: to reduce the territory’s consumption of fossil fuels while ensuring that certain fuel-reliant businesses aren’t disproportionately affected.

It’s uncertain at this time if this means that special concessions will be made to key Yukon industries, such as mining and tourism.

The Yukon Department of Finance roughly estimates the Yukon will generate about $5 million in revenue in the first year of the carbon tax.

This preliminary estimate is based on the federal National Inventory Report 19990-2015.

The Yukon will impose the federal government’s minimum, $10-per-tonne price on carbon.

Yukon Party MLA Scott Kent said Air North spends more than $20 million a year on fuel, and that a carbon tax would surely increase the cost of flights in and out of the territory.

Silver said he has met with Air North president Joe Sparling to discuss the matter. Details about the carbon tax’s potential effect on the airline are still unclear.

“What we’re seeing from the Yukon Party is a continuing to deny that we have to do our part,” Silver told reporters following question period.

How local companies choose to account for the carbon tax and the government rebate is up to them, not government, he said.

“The biggest question or concern is making sure that we’re not penalized in those areas where we’re growing,” said Silver.

“You can’t penalize local businesses for being northern and therefore far away from major centres.

“You can’t penalize us also for paying a tax in an area where you cannot reduce your emissions.”

The Yukon government signed a national pact to address climate change in December 2016, and in so doing, officially agreed to implement a carbon tax to the territory.

Silver frequently refers to the Yukon’s “annex” in this agreement as an assurance that the carbon tax will not indirectly disadvantage Yukoners and Yukon businesses for living in a region that relies heavily on fossil fuels.

But the Yukon’s annex in the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change offers little in the way of detail about the carbon tax rate, and the distribution of revenues.

The annex says Ottawa will work with the Yukon to examine the implications of a carbon tax on the cost of living in the territory.

It also says the Yukon will keep 100 per cent of revenues generated through the tax, which Silver says will be returned to Yukoners and Yukon businesses through rebates.

The tax will be applied at the pumps.

Comments (22)

Up 0 Down 1

north_of_60 on May 1, 2017 at 6:22 pm

@Anie appears to have missed the point that my comment was about Lying Liberals, aka. Lieberals

Up 7 Down 9

Anie on Apr 29, 2017 at 11:37 pm

North of 60, you may be absolutely correct. But I stop reading when you resort to childish name callng like "lieberals"

Up 13 Down 5

north_of_60 on Apr 29, 2017 at 1:22 am

The Carbon Tax Grab is to refill government coffers after the Lieberals gave billions of our tax dollars to 3rd world despots. This was all part of their global wealth re-distribution scam under the guise of "Stopping Climate Change".

The oft-heard mantra "the tax’s revenues are returned to Yukoners" is LibSpeak for: the money will go to the Yukon Lieberal government to spend on whatever green-scam whims they dream up. They will tell us it's spent on our behalf, because they know what's best for us.

What Lieberals promise and what they deliver are two entirely different things. Remember this one:
“We are committed to ensuring that the 2015 election will be the last federal election using first-past-the-post.”

We can expect more of the same with the Carbon Tax Grab promises.

Up 31 Down 2

Just Say'in on Apr 27, 2017 at 10:21 pm

I Love this Political Speak. So if 100% of Carbon Tax will be returned to Yukoners, then why take it in the first place????? So obviously that is not true. Thousands of more Government people will be required to administer eating up more money. It is not just a tax on the fuel you buy, it is a Tax on absolutely everything. Have a look around, your clothes are made from oil. Fertilizers are made from petrochemical products. Transportation of absolutely everything. Plus this tax is on top of all other taxes which should be illegal to tax a tax. Revenue Neutral My A**. Then why do it????

Up 38 Down 4

Anie on Apr 27, 2017 at 3:20 pm

We are at a loss about what more we can reasonably do to reduce our household carbon footprint. And increasing our expenses 5% isn't going to change that. A major concern is this loosely goosey promise to return the revenue from carbon tax to"yukoners". Does that mean they will do a mathematical calculation and return approximately what our household spent to our wallets? No, I don't think so. Instead, our 5% will find its way to the coffers of the usual special interest groups. So, since we cannot find ways to reduce our current carbon-tax generating expenses, and nobody is going to hand us that 5% increase in the cost of living, it looks like we are screwed.....again.

Up 41 Down 1

ProScience Greenie on Apr 27, 2017 at 10:11 am

While some can easily afford to pay 5% more for everything and continue to have a high carbon lifestyle, for many including our home, it is going to be a big hit. Especially so as there will be many things that we will be paying a carbon tax on top of a tax on top of another tax that will really sting the pocketbook.

How much longer? - the Libs won in Ottawa mostly because of legal weed and that Harper and crew were well past their best before date, not because of the carbon sin tax. Kind of the same for why the Libs were elected here.

Expert Analysis - not everyone opposed to the carbon sin tax is an AGW Denier. Most of us simply can't afford it and realize that it will do little to reduce our carbon footprints. For those making good wages it will be business as usual with their high carbon lifestyles.

Up 5 Down 40

The Truth on Apr 26, 2017 at 9:11 pm

@expert analysis

haha you nailed it! A lot of experts with no facts to work with. They are just conservatives who are angry that science and reason are now replacing their ideology. They prefer to do nothing about climate change. They don't want us to do our part.

Here are two inconvenient facts they never mention, BC has had a carbon "tax" for many years now and has the strongest economy in the country. AB just implemented a carbon "tax" and their economy has continued to recover. But let's talk about how much a carbon "tax" will hurt the economy (rolls eyes).

Up 28 Down 1

north_of_60 on Apr 26, 2017 at 9:00 pm

About half of the 'carbon' released into the atmosphere by human activities comes from Asia where factories are churning out cheap solar panels, wind turbines, and all the other disposable consumer goods we love to buy at MallWart. Those factories and the generating plants that power them are burning dirty coal and spewing the pollution into the air and water and across the land.

If the 'carbon tax' was actually about significantly reducing 'carbon emissions', then it would be applied to products imported from countries that cause the most 'carbon emissions' wouldn't it? That would give countries with strong environmental regulations a market advantage.

Because of those strong environmental regulations Canadian oil and gas provides energy with only a fraction of the toxic pollution caused by Asian coal. Using less Canadian petroleum and buying cheap solar panels and wind turbines from Asia is counterproductive and actually increases toxic pollution and those GHG emissions that some people believe cause the weather to change.

The CarbonTax is a Canadian fuel tax surcharge. It's a tax grab that won't reduce GHG emissions. The CarbonTax has not reduced GHG emissions in BC or anywhere else it's been tried. The CarbonTax is a foolish exercise much like a farmer choking chickens to increase egg production.

Up 26 Down 3

Earth Scientist on Apr 26, 2017 at 7:39 pm

Hey ex-spurt anal-ist, nobody denies the climate changes. Earth scientists know the changes are not new and not caused by humans.

" Kristen Kennedy, a surficial geologist with the Yukon Geological Survey, agreed that there’s nothing really surprising about what’s happening now.
In fact, the whole system may simply be reverting to how it looked more than 300 years ago.
For most of the period since the end of the last Ice Age about 10,000 years ago, the Kaskawulsh glacier ended several kilometres higher up than it does today, and drained entirely into the Kaskawulsh River, Kennedy explained."
http://www.yukon-news.com/business/the-curious-case-of-the-vanishing-river/

Up 32 Down 8

Estimates by liberals up to $300 billion out of the Canadian economy on Apr 26, 2017 at 4:14 pm

and 250,000 jobs losses.

Up 8 Down 38

Expert Analysis on Apr 26, 2017 at 3:37 pm

There sure are a lot of Carbon tax experts here and the workings of the plan have not even been announced as yet.
Climate change deniers----What do you think of Kluane Lake drying up?
June ---- It's a Liberal plot to enslave the masses. WTG how to uncover this diabolical scheme.

Up 11 Down 3

jc on Apr 26, 2017 at 2:51 pm

Alex, I'm not trying to be critical, but what does all those names mean? Could you please translate?

Up 16 Down 38

How much longer? on Apr 26, 2017 at 2:27 pm

Both the elected Federal and Yukon governments are doing exactly what they said they would in their platforms. National carbon pricing was in the Trudeau platform, he won big and Bagnell got 54% of the vote here. Yukon Party just ran a campaign almost exclusively as a referendum on this issue and lost. We all voted for this.

Up 20 Down 38

Alex Gandler on Apr 26, 2017 at 12:50 pm

annnnd Sanctimonious Stacey continues to audition to be the next local Federal Conservative candidate
He just may steal the nomination from Darrell Drugstore and Corporal Camouflage

Up 53 Down 14

Tax This Silver! on Apr 25, 2017 at 9:29 pm

Sellout Silver says Trudeau and the federal Liberals are going to bend us over one way or the other so we might as well smile while we're being
s------ because we don't have a choice. Well you know what Sandy Silver and Larry Bagnell your Liberal arrogance isn't going to get you very far and what you're doing won't be forgotten by this voter.

Up 46 Down 14

jc on Apr 25, 2017 at 9:18 pm

Liberals always think citizens are stupid. Anybody with half a brain knows that this liberal forced carbon tax is just a tax grab to pay for their election promises. How else will they balance their deficit ridden budget eventually? However, it will be their defeat as a government in the next election. Even JT's pretty face won't help him this time. Larry, you should have been thinking of Yukoners. You will be voted out next election just like when you voted for the gun registry. Yukoners gave you a second chance, but won't forgive you next time.

Up 22 Down 44

Doug Rutherford on Apr 25, 2017 at 8:28 pm

It seems to me that the Yukon Party doesn't understand that the carbon tax being implemented is a federal government program and not optional. If they wish to use question period time, perhaps they should do so on something the government actually can act upon.

Up 37 Down 11

June Jackson on Apr 25, 2017 at 7:45 pm

The carbon tax is nothing but a money grab.. Trudeau is spending money like a drunken sailor and Canada desperately needs the cash to pay the bills and keep on spending..

Saul Alinsky/The Cloward-Piven Strategy for ??

1) Healthcare — Control healthcare and you control the people
2) Poverty — Increase the Poverty level as high as possible, poor people are easier to control and will not fight back if you are providing everything for them to live.
3) Debt — Increase the debt to an unsustainable level. That way you are able to increase taxes, and this will produce more poverty.
4) Gun Control — Remove the ability to defend themselves from the Government. That way you are able to create a police state.
5) Welfare — Take control of every aspect of their lives (Food, Housing, and Income).
6) Education — Take control of what people read and listen to — take control of what children learn in school.
7) Religion — Remove the belief in the God from the Government and schools.
8) Class Warfare — Divide the people into the wealthy and the poor. This will cause more discontent and it will be easier to take (Tax) the wealthy with the support of the poor.

http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/canadian-politics/secret-briefing-says-up-to-300-per-tonne-federal-carbon-tax-by-2050-required-to-meet-climate-targets

http://www.torontosun.com/2017/04/03/cap-and-trade-just-a-carbon-tax

http://edmontonjournal.com/opinion/columnists/opinion-carbon-tax-requires-blind-faith-in-govt

http://www.winnipegsun.com/2017/04/06/carbon-tax-just-a-scam

There are over 500,000 URLs on how the populace feels about more taxes and the carbon tax in particular. Obviously, the Liberals don't want to see another mandate.

Up 38 Down 9

Just Sayin' on Apr 25, 2017 at 5:19 pm

"It also says the Yukon will keep 100 per cent of revenues generated through the tax, which Silver says will be returned to Yukoners and Yukon businesses through rebates."

What irks me is the fact the Liberals know a carbon tax is coming due to their agreement with it yet, they have not developed and or publicly released how the rebate will work. I theorize those who are within a certain tax bracket will receive no rebate, those business(s) who produce a profit will not receive a rebate and those people who have less will be able to profit most from the rebate. Mind you, this is merely speculation. However, a proactive government would have an outline of a rebate program in place and analyze how and if it will work, but this is not the case. Instead we have another reactive government who will come up with a program and through their term in office come up with many adaptations of the rebate program. Hopefully, by the final term they will have all the mechanics of it, worked out. I would not hope for any rebates upon the implementation of the Carbon tax, in-fact I think it will be a couple of years before Yukoners will see the rebate returned to them, if you are in the right tax bracket.

Up 48 Down 5

Rockey Silver on Apr 25, 2017 at 5:10 pm

I guess when all that tax is gathered and feed to the coffers in Ottawa the glacial melt will come to a halt, China and India will stop using coal and of course we will all be acting in this fairy tale of make believe.

Up 16 Down 29

Joe on Apr 25, 2017 at 4:09 pm

Having a sparring session with opposition leader Hazzard is like having a boxing match with an unarmed opponent.

Up 39 Down 7

Kelly Magnel on Apr 25, 2017 at 3:56 pm

Why is there no mention of how much money the federal government will be making off the carbon tax. The federal government charges GST on the carbon tax! Imagine, they consider the carbon tax a service! That money will not be returned to Yukoners.

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