'We're struggling enough,' say carbon tax protesters in northern Ont.

Carbon tax prompts protest in the north Protests opposing the federal carbon tax, including the latest increase, took place across the country Monday.

Protests opposing the federal carbon tax, including the latest increase, took place across the country Monday.

Rallies outside politicians’ offices and at provincial borders were held. In northern Ontario, protesters gathered at the Ontario-Quebec border near Kirkland Lake.

The latest 23-per-cent increase hiked gas prices by around four cents, bringing frustrations to the boiling point.

“Where do we draw the line?” one person told CTV.

“Well, it seems that this carbon tax initiative has been the place that we are choosing to draw that line in the sand. Enough.”

“We’re just retired, living on a pension, and the higher the groceries go and the higher the gas goes, the less we get to do,” another resident said.

“We’re struggling enough, as it is, and with it being raised up, we can’t support ourselves. It’s making things difficult, we can’t live like that.”

Defenders of the carbon tax say it’s an effort to combat climate change and it actually brings a net surplus back to the taxpayer.

Timmins area New Democrat MP Charlie Angus said that pollution should come with an added price, but added the Trudeau government dropped the ball when it comes to charging the country’s largest polluters.

“Big oil is not being held accountable for the pollution,” Angus said.

“So people are frustrated when they’re thinking, ‘Well, I’ve got to heat my house in the winter. Why am I paying my share when Suncor isn’t?’ And the Trudeau government’s failed to explain that. Emissions have gone up, the oil companies just factored it in and they didn’t care.”

Need to be held accountable

He said large grocery stores also need to be held to account for rising consumer costs.

But the protesters Monday said none of that makes carbon pricing any more appealing to the working class.

“I call B.S.,” one person said. “I’m sorry, but I don’t … believe politicians at this point.”

“All the young people that are coming along, now, that want to buy houses and stuff, they’re so out-priced, with all these taxes and crap, that they’ll never have one.”

Angus said the situation leaves Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre in a position to promote climate denialism, in a time where affordability and climate change are both issues that need solving.

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