TORONTO: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) today is calling on the McGuinty government to clarify its position on imposing new carbon taxes in Ontario. It is widely reported that Premier McGuinty and Ontario Environment Minister, John Gerretsen favour a cap-and-trade system as a 'first choice'. CTF Ontario, Kevin Gaudet, said, "cap-and-trade is a carbon tax, just under another name. When and how does he plan to unleash this new tax on Ontarions What happened to his campaign promise not to impose new taxes "

The CTF has been calling for Dalton McGuinty to make it clear where he stands on a carbon tax, especially at a time that his brother David McGuinty - federal Liberal environment critic - is pushing a carbon tax at the federal level with Stephane Dion, leader of the Liberal Party of Canada. Now Ontarions have part of the answer.

"When Mr. McGuinty says he wants a cap-and-trade tax first he raises the possibility of also imposing a direct carbon tax next", Gaudet added.

McGuinty's statement raises important questions and his brother makes this obvious when he is quoted saying, "I think what the premier's said is, 'Look, given the here and now of the specificity of the Ontario economy, and how we would like to go forward in pricing carbon, we would rather go with a cap-and-trade system first,"' he said. "But I doubt very much the premier's ruling out the notion of a carbon tax shift."

Gaudet concluded, "Carbon taxes have proved disastrous in Europe - causing job losses and fuel poverty. Moreover, they have done nothing to reduce CO2 levels," Gaudet concluded. This government has no mandate to introduce new carbon taxes and should immediately eliminate speculation."