KINSELLA: Lots of reasons why Trudeau should not impose carbon tax now

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A carbon tax.

Justin Trudeau put it in his election platform, and people voted for him, twice. The Supreme Court of Canada said he could do it.

In polls, many Canadians favour it. They do.

But just because he can do it — and just because voters and judges said he can do it — doesn’t mean he should do it. Because he shouldn’t.

Certainly not right now.

Here’s 10 reasons why.

INFLATION:Inflation in Canada is at a 30-year high, and that means Canadians are paying more — for everything from groceries to toilet paper. With the cost of living becoming increasingly unaffordable, the carbon tax increase will only make life a lot more expensive for you and me.

PRICE AT THE PUMPS: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — and concerns over energy supply in Western democracies — has sent the cost of gas skyrocketing. Gas is so expensive, in fact, that provinces like B.C. and Alberta are issuing rebates to drivers, or removing provincial gas taxes. The carbon tax increase will make gas more expensive than beer!

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AGRICULTURE:Farmers will be hit hard by the carbon tax. Rising fuel prices — and carbon tax-driven increases to grain-drying costs — seriously threaten the viability of farms across Canada. The tax will make operations less profitable — in an already challenging industry.

HURTS SOME MORE THAN OTHERS:Low-income and rural families disproportionally rely on higher-emissions activities for heating their homes and transportation needs. Increasing the carbon tax hurts large segments of them while remaining pretty irrelevant for the wealthy, who are the real polluters in society.

NOT JUST A TAX ON THE RICH: The Parliamentary Budget Officer found what most of us already knew to be true — the carbon tax doesn’t only tax the rich, and magically return the funds to everyone else. “Most households will see a net loss,” said the PBO. That’s a quote: “most.”

SMALL BUSINESS, BIG PAIN: Small businesses struggled throughout the pandemic — and continue to face challenges throughout the ongoing provincial reopenings. For businesses like restaurants and shops, the increased carbon tax rate will add more pain, and chip away at their bottom lines.

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GIG ECONOMY: So-called gig economy jobs — like rideshare driving and food delivery — are tough gigs already. A carbon tax makes them tougher, by hitting drivers whose overall earnings are usually pretty low to start with. Higher prices at the pump will make it even tougher to survive in the gig economy.

UNPOPULAR: Raising the carbon tax during a time of skyrocketing inflation is giving the Conservatives the best talking point they’ve had since blackface. It’s a poorly calculated political decision by Trudeau and Co. — who too often worry about dogmatic ideology more than good policy. Not smart.

NOT EVERY SIZE FITS ALL AND NOT EVERY CARBON TAX IS FAIR: Greenhouse gases present a complicated policy problem that needs a nuanced solution — not a blanket tax that penalizes millions of Canadian families.

WE PAY ENOUGH TAXES: Inflation is crushing us. Right now is no time for a carbon tax. Period.

Sure. You can impose a carbon tax, Prime Minister.

But right now? You shouldn’t.