The Environment  Nobody talks about that, but for the last two months all we have heard is this carbon tax issue. They finally recognize that there is an environmental problem. Maybe some common sense person deep down in their ranks had written that there is environmental consciousness in the Reform ranks.

The Environment  Speaker, I do not really know how to respond to that somewhat disjointed and incoherent speech by the hon. member, except to say that when I go home to my constituency what I will tell the people I represent is that I am opposed to increased taxes on fuel, increased taxes not only on fuel for their automobiles but on fuel for heating their homes. I am also opposed to a carbon tax which would cripple the petroleum industry and kill employment in the region of the country which I represent. I would like to see taxes scaled back. The last thing I want to see this country do is impose a 30 cent or 40 cent tax on gasoline.

The Environment  If the government has ruled out a carbon tax, as the Prime Minister has said, if it has ruled out a fuel tax, what other taxes does it have in mind? The federal government has a moral and fiscal obligation to come clean on the subject with the public, and it has singularly failed to do so.

The Environment  Economic instruments in the area of the environment embrace a broad range of tools, including carbon taxes to which we are opposed. We are opposed to the use of carbon taxes. Let me take a second to explain why. We already use energy in our country for the purposes of taxation. We hear our American neighbours talk about carbon taxes and they compare them to Canada and forget one essential element.

The Environment  The private sector, the provinces and territories, a broad range of other stakeholders, indeed all Canadians have been invited to work closely with us to build together a sound and sensible implementation plan for the Kyoto agreement. The Prime Minister has repeatedly reaffirmed that we are not interested in a carbon tax. We are not interested in seeing any province or region or sector bearing a disproportionate burden. However, we are keenly interested in greater energy efficiency for vehicles, homes, buildings and industrial processes.

The Environment  As the leader of the Progressive Conservative Party just said a few moments ago, we have plenty of carbon taxes already imposed on gasoline at the present time. It is very difficult to deal with gladiators who are ignorant and we have too many in this House of Commons. Speakers after the leaders of the various parties have only 10 minutes to deal with uninformed, ignorant and distorted information as was done tonight, unfortunately, by the leader of the Reform Party, thus contributing really nothing to the substance, to the search for answers on this extremely complex issue that is engaging the minds of scientists, of politicians of course, of decision makers and of governments around the world.

The Environment  The media went to sleep on it. The opposition has not collectively raised the issue except on the carbon tax issue. The government has barely taken any leadership on it. That is the political rhetoric of it. As an individual and as an aboriginal person, my learnings and my world view— If we look at the future and we look at the seven generations to come, our present emissions that we are having today outside in this world will have an effect seven generations from now.

The Environment  The Government of Canada has stressed no unreasonable share of the burden for any region or sector, no carbon tax, deeper commitments by the private sector, greater energy efficiency, more renewable and alternative sources of energy, a powerful focus on research and development and the maximum use of international flexibility provisions.

Income Tax Amendments Act, 1997  When I said I was happy to talk about this, I really am because I come from a province that is just teetering now in many areas because of the taxation of this government. Heaven forbid, the next tax it will raise will be a carbon tax on more fuel and take great glory in spending 21 cents back to the highways for every 5 dollar it takes. Then it can fire Doug Young at the same time.

Division No. 72  For decades Liberals have been inventing ways to control the western economy. They did it in the national energy program. They are dying now to impose a carbon tax but in the interim they will settle for depriving western farmers of their property rights. The bill even expands the board's control over wheat and barley to other grains, and to think the wheat board was set up as a temporary measure.

Poverty  In other words, if someone has a capital asset and it gains in value, that gain should be taken away according to the alternative budget. I am not quite sure how that will help families and business people. It recommends carbon taxes. It recommends a huge tax on banks, which will simply drive service charges through the roof. It recommends personal income tax rates should be increased. How are families supposed to not be impoverished if their money is taxed away from them when they manage to get some?

Gasoline  The Liberal chair of the gas pricing committee, however, pegs the increase at a whopping 15 cents per litre. That is not even close. The sulphur tax is a carbon tax by any other name. When the Prime Minister assured Canadians last year that there would be no carbon tax, his backbenchers believed him. Canadians wanted to believe him. They have all been deceived again.

Fertilizer Industry  This, combined with the government's hasty environmental commitments at Kyoto, will greatly affect the fertilizer industry. A carbon tax would be deadly. If our domestic industry faces a greater burden than foreign competitors we will not remain competitive. That can translate into fewer jobs, fewer jobs in my riding and across the country.

Taxation  Mr. Speaker, downstream petrochemical producers and consumers are fearful of an increased carbon tax being charged at the gas pump. Can the Minister of Finance assure the House that no increase in federal gasoline tax is about to be levied?

Taxation  The former Minister of Natural Resources has addressed this question. I have addressed this question. Every answer, every time, has been “no carbon tax”.