Madam Speaker, Albertans are an amazing group of hard-working, dedicated people. However, they are being attacked by both the federal Liberals and the Alberta provincial NDP. These attacks are only making it harder for Albertans to get back up.
Last week the Alberta NDP announced its intention, in spite of the struggling economy, to continue moving forward on a provincial carbon tax. This tax would be on top of the Liberal pet project of a federal carbon tax. Alberta unemployment remains high, and families are finding it harder every day to make ends meet. These carbon taxes would increase food prices, increase the price of heating homes, and make it more expensive to fill up at the gas pumps.
This carbon tax would hit small businesses, the businesses and the very entrepreneurial spirit that Albertans are known for. These tax increases would be unfair to hard-working people across Canada, particularly in Alberta, where families are struggling to get by. Quite simply, now is not the time to be taxing Albertans more.