We must ask ourselves, why would the government hide its own economic analysis of the carbon tax? Well, now we know. The government's internal carbon tax analysis revealed that the cost of the carbon tax will be more than $30 billion per year. That's almost $2,000 per family.
For years, Minister Guilbeault told Canadians that the carbon tax wouldn't cost them, but now we know that Minister Guilbeault willingly chose to vandalize Canada's economy with the carbon tax. He knew that the carbon tax was going to harm our economy. He knew that the carbon tax was going to cost Canadian families, but he chose to plow ahead with his carbon tax hikes anyway. Minister Guilbeault is an economic vandal. He needs to resign.
After nine years of this Liberal government, Canada is broken. Food is up. Gas is up. Home heating is up. In the middle of a cost of living crisis, Minister Guilbeault chose to punish Canadians with a carbon tax. The fact that Minister Guilbeault kept his economic analysis a secret from Canadians is absurd. How can Minister Guilbeault be trusted? What else is he keeping secret from Canadians?
In testifying before our committee, Minister Guilbeault was asked if he planned on increasing the carbon tax over $170 per tonne past 2030. He refused to rule out further carbon tax hikes. I asked the environment minister at committee, “Has your government decided whether it will increase the carbon tax over $170 a tonne past 2030? Give me a yes or no.” The environment minister dared to respond with “I'm not obliged to answer yes or no to those questions.”
The fact that his carbon tax will cost the Canadian economy over $30 billion per year doesn't bother Minister Guilbeault. The environment minister doesn't believe that he needs to tell Canadians if he plans to hike the tax on gas, heat and groceries even further. I encourage all members of the committee to ask Canadians if they have confidence in Minister Guilbeault. If they did, they would quickly realize that most Canadians want Minister Guilbeault to go, and I agree. I represent a completely rural constituency. No minister in this government has inflicted more harm on rural Canada than Minister Guilbeault. Minister Guilbeault has to go, and that is right now.
Thank you very much.