• Federal NDP leader turning against carbon tax
• BC NDP leader says he would scrap provincial carbon tax

LETHBRIDGE, AB: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is calling on the Alberta Leader of the NDP Naheed Nenshi to make his stance on the carbon tax clear.

“Every time a journalist tries to nail Nenshi down on a provincial carbon tax, he dissolves into orange mist and vanishes,” said Kris Sims, CTF Alberta Director. “If we see a longtime carbon tax cheerleader like B.C. Premier David Eby wobbling, then Nenshi can say a clear ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to an Alberta carbon tax.”

Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh signaled a change in his carbon tax stance last week.

“We want to see an approach to fighting the climate crisis where it doesn’t put the burden on the backs of working people,” Singh told reporters at the NDP caucus meeting in Montreal.

Facing a provincial election in B.C., Eby said if the federal carbon tax backstop is removed, he would get rid of the provincial carbon tax.

To date, Nenshi has not made his position on the carbon tax clear.

In June, Nenshi discussed the carbon tax on a Calgary radio program.

“I cannot imagine a world in which the industrial carbon price is not part of a Poilievre [future government] solution, and it is the most important part,” Nenshi told the show West of Centre. “A consumer carbon tax, a broad-based consumer carbon tax, look, probably the political environment will not allow it at that time.”

The provincial carbon tax created by former NDP premier Rachel Notley cost Albertans about $1 billion before it was scrapped in 2019.

“Albertans are struggling to afford the basics and the last thing we need is for a provincial carbon tax to come back home to Alberta,” Sims said. “Nenshi must be clear and transparent with taxpayers: does he support a carbon tax here in Alberta or does he not?”

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