Peace region residents join nationwide ‘Axe the Tax’ protest on April 1st

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Residents from around the Peace region took part in the nationwide “Axe the Tax” protest on April 1st, demanding the federal government permanently end the carbon tax.

The carbon tax increase on April 1st saw the carbon price rise from $65 to $80 per tonne, a 23 per cent increase, resulting in about a three cents per litre increase at the pumps.

Residents from Fort. St. John, Dawson Creek, and Tumbler Ridge each met in their communities before travelling to the Demmitt Scales to protest.

In Fort St. John, two groups of protestors met In the Safeway parking lot and the truck lot across from Mr. Mike’s Steakhouse before heading to Demmitt.

One of the local organizers, Hannah Townsend, says she joined the group because she feels the tax increase is unfair. 

She works in the oil and gas industry and feels Canada is no longer livable. 

“It’s getting to a point where it’s becoming hard for everyone regardless of class,” said Townsend. “We’re just trying to make a stand and get our message heard by the government.”

Government-implemented carbon rebates to offset the rising costs aren’t nearly going far enough, according to Townsend.

“Like all Canadians, I couldn’t imagine being in a position a couple of years ago [during the COVID-19 pandemic] working less and in less paying jobs and trying to afford day-to-day living,” said Townsend. 

In March, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was asked to explain raising the carbon tax by 23 per cent during a meeting with the premiers of several provinces, imploring him to re-consider the increase.

“My job is to do the right things for Canada now and do the right things for Canadians a generation from now.” Trudeau said on March 14th during a press conference, adding it was not “his job to be popular.”

Federal Opposition Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has called for a complete halt to the tax hike. Poilievre sent a letter to B.C. Premier David Eby on March 15th, asking him to stand with the premiers of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador in calling for a halt to the increase.

Eby dismissed Poilievre’s request as “baloney factory” campaign tactics aiming at riling up support for his base.

“The fact we face is that if we followed Mr. Poilievre’s suggestion there would be less money returned to British Columbians after April 1st than there would be if the federal government administered this increase directly,” Eby said on March 15th at a press conference in Terrace, B.C.

B.C. was the first jurisdiction in North America to implement a carbon tax increase in 2008.

Another local protester, Melanie Bowdenham, says the 23 per cent increase gives her what she says is a “pay cut” with less money coming home with her, while increases were given to MPs.

According to the CBC, MPs received a 4.4 per cent wage raise on April 1st.

“I hope this reminds people we are not alone,” said Bowdenham. “We should have a say in how we run our country.”

Local protest organizer Krista Fowler said that the nationwide protests showed the plight of affordability in both B.C. and across the country.

“The cost of living is out of control,” said Fowler. “Four small bags of groceries are costing $150. People just can’t do it anymore.”

According to their website, a group calling itself  “Nationwide Protest Against the Carbon Tax” organized the demonstrations on interprovincial borders. The group boasts 150,000 members across its social media channels.