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Protestors call for referendum on Alberta NDP carbon tax Nov. 5 UPDATED

Hundreds of people, including County of Wetaskiwin and Leduc County taxpayers, gathered at a regional rally
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County of Wetaskiwin and Leduc County taxpayers were at the regional carbon tax rally Nov. 5 in Camrose.

UPDATED: Hundreds of people, including County of Wetaskiwin and Leduc County taxpayers, gathered at a regional rally in Camrose Nov. 5 to demand the NDP government hold a referendum on the so-called carbon tax.

The rally, one of 12 held across Alberta that day, began at the exhibition grounds, and then drove down Hwy #13 for a rally at Icon Safety Services.

Hundreds of people lined up to sign a petition demanding Premier Rachel Notley’s NDP government hold a provincial referendum on whether or not Albertans will accept the new tax. Hundreds of people were lined up down the street to sign.

At the rally, Tina Fox spoke, describing herself as a normal Albertan who helped organize the rallies because she feels the carbon tax will not help the province and will in fact harm Alberta.

She said the petition is legal and proper, with advice from lawyers and rules from the provincial government.

“It is our mission to get at least 500,000 signatures on these carbon tax petitions,: said Fox at the podium.

People were lined up to sign the petition through the Icon parking lot, in front of the office and down the street.

One resident who signed was Dale Schultz, who said he attended the rally because the carbon tax seems to punish rather than encourage change. “I think it’s all backwards here,” said Schultz.

Schultz said he’s concerned the provincial government didn’t consider alternatives to encourage people to be more energy efficient, and instead jumped to a tax first. “The consumer always pays,” said Schultz.

Resident Mack Cumming said he was at the rally because his experience with an NDP government in B.C. concerned him. “I lived 11 years under them and they’re doing the same thing here that they did there,” said Cumming at the rally.

Cumming said he is concerned the NDP policies are discouraging business from prospering in Alberta.

The Pipestone Flyer has reached out to organizers of the rally for the number of signatures gathered Nov. 5.

The carbon tax is set to come into effect January 1, 2017 and was approved by NDP MLAs unilaterally in the Legislature despite Opposition concerns.

 

A full story and photo spread will be in the Nov. 10 edition of The Pipestone Flyer.