Finance committee  Minister, this past Monday we had a veterans advocacy group here before us who said that in this BIA, under your proposed veterans pension for life, the difference in payouts is based on gender, and that this government wilfully and woefully implemented a human rights violation. We already know the government is implementing what has been called a sexist carbon tax on female Canadians. Why is your government including a similarly troubling pension payout for veterans founded on gender discrimination? Again, it's based on monthly payouts versus a total lump sum.

Budget Implementation Act, 2018, No. 1  Now we find out in the budget bill that 200 pages of it has to do with a nationally imposed carbon tax. We have not been able to get information from the minister's office as to the policy rationale, including figures that would show what an average family would pay under this. This place is dedicated toward making sure there is not taxation without representation.

Finance committee  Okay. I appreciate that. In British Columbia, we're going to have two carbon taxes then. There's going to be the provincial carbon tax and then there'll be the federal carbon tax to capture jet fuel. Is that correct?

Finance committee  People would just say let's not buy fuel in B.C. , we'll stop in the United States and fuel up there because it's cheaper. Now with this federal carbon tax even though the British Columbia carbon tax is exempted, your industry would still have to pay. Is that correct? Or is the federal proposal not to incorporate jet fuel?

Recognition of Charlottetown as the Birthplace of Confederation Act  Quebec is happy to get oil from countries that have next to no environmental regulations, and certainly no carbon tax at all, while many opposed the energy east project instead of supporting the good province of Alberta. My home province certainly has its own conditions. Many oppose the Trans Mountain pipeline, which is also against the good province of Alberta.

Business of Supply  What happened when B.C. produced concrete that was subject to a carbon tax in 2008? It became more expensive. In fact, by 2014, British Columbia-produced concrete accounted for only roughly 65% of all concrete used in British Columbia, because cheaper concrete was being imported from jurisdictions with no carbon tax.

Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement Implementation Act  However, we must not overlook who they are protecting these jobs from, and that is ourselves. It is our own government-imposed carbon taxes that we are now in turn subsidizing to compete against jurisdictions that do not have a carbon tax. Let us not forget the exceptions of the B.C. government that has a balanced budget.

Finance committee  I appreciate your bluntness earlier, because you asked for an exemption. I think that given the fact that many of the areas you're in.... How does a carbon tax work when you have diesel-dependent communities where 80% of the costs are already being paid for by the government? Who's going to pay that tax, ultimately? You rely on money from federal transfers, and if only 20% is there, and they don't have the tools to be able to switch off onto their own independent source, how does a carbon tax innovate in that area?

Paris Agreement  It was actually under the good governance clause. Obviously, the Minister of Finance is going to be looking to put in place a carbon tax over the Province of Saskatchewan's wishes. This will create issues. Can the minister use federal taxing power to basically force a province on what is provincial policy? First, has the minister heard from his officials on his preferred course of forcing Saskatchewan to pay into this carbon scheme?

Business of Supply  I would say they are actually doing the opposite on both. First, on the environment, what the Liberals have done is put out a vague notion of a carbon tax, yet to be decided and pitting provinces against the federal government. This is from a Prime Minister who said he would listen to and work with the provinces. Second, the things they have, such as new methane gas regulations, they have actually pushed back implementing by three or four years.

Finance committee  We all like to say that we love Canadian wine and we want to see the industry succeed, yet here today we're putting that at risk by adding costs, in addition to a carbon tax, in addition to payroll taxes, in addition to not allowing the small business tax rate to continue to lower. I think we're going in the wrong direction, and it's going to hit the government coffers eventually, particularly when wineries just decide it's not worth it to grow, and they'll just stay small.

Business of Supply  If the Liberals will not reduce spending, and we know they will not, then that leaves raising taxes. In effect, that is precisely what happens when the Liberals' national carbon tax comes fully online. Carbon taxes increase costs on businesses and hydro costs, and the businesses become less competitive overall. Increased CPP, let us not forget, increases payroll costs to employers, and that in turn makes Canadian employers less competitive against other jurisdictions.

Finance committee  When this committee went to Prince Edward Island, we heard the same thing from many of the fishers there, that they were concerned about rising costs from things like carbon taxes and whatnot. This is an additional increase for them, which certainly I would imagine is a challenge. Have you already heard back from your members about the issue?

Finance committee  In this country right now, we are at the lowest level of business investment since 1981. Do you see that this carbon tax could potentially not only shoo away new investment, but also make people look again at whether or not they are going to continue operations? Is that a worry?

Finance committee  They are on older infrastructure, which means it's very costly to change without federal assistance, yet a carbon tax being placed on...where 80% is already being borne by government. If you don't put it in place, the federal government will tax you for it and then give you your own money back. Is that how it will work?