Please Advise! Has the Carbon Tax Turned Toxic?

[Editor’s note: Steve Burgess is an accredited spin doctor with a PhD in Centrifugal Rhetoric from the University of SASE, situated on the lovely campus of PO Box 7650, Cayman Islands. In this space he dispenses PR advice to politicians, the rich and famous, the troubled and well-heeled, the wealthy and gullible.]

Dear Dr. Steve,

Last week both federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and BC NDP Premier David Eby expressed concerns about the carbon tax — Eby said he would scrap the provincial tax if the feds dropped their requirement, while Singh refused to commit to the measure, suggesting it harms working families.

Aren't the NDP supposed to be climate activists? What's going on, Dr. Steve?

Signed,

Forest

Dear Forest,

If you can't beat ’em, join ’em. Apparently the NDP have decided they can't beat that Conservative carbon tax messaging. What's next, Dr. Steve wonders? A video with Singh angrily munching an apple? David Eby, crypto bro?

Pierre Poilievre has been calling for a “carbon tax election.” It's his issue. If the federal Conservative leader is a hammer, the carbon tax is his nail. Wasps at a picnic, athlete's foot, your sister's boyfriend is a fool — take it from Pierre, it's all because of that evil Justin Trudeau policy.

Does Singh really think the federal NDP is going to be the voice of opposition to the carbon tax? Poilievre owns that brand. At best, the NDP could only hope to be the anti-tax RC Cola. Talk about opportunistic — it's reminiscent of that time Ethel Merman recorded a disco album. Nobody likes a bandwagon jumper.

Perhaps “If you can't beat ’em, join ’em” is not the most appropriate aphorism. Maybe it's that one about rats and a sinking ship. The SS Trudeau is taking on water and everyone is swimming for their political lives. We have seen the cowardice of U.S. Republicans, grovelling before Trump to save their own political hides. Is abandoning the carbon tax a desperate attempt by national and provincial New Democrats to escape the suction of the sinking Liberal ship?

Canadian politics is becoming a hall of mirrors. Poilievre imitates Donald Trump; NDP leaders imitate Poilievre. Just imagine: Poilievre might say immigrants are eating cats, they're eating dogs. Then Singh might respond that Trudeau's inflation is so bad, working people can't afford to put pets on the table anymore. Eby will then introduce deputy premier Laura Loomer. It'll be so confusing the Russians won't know who to give their money to.

Here's an even more appropriate saying: “Everybody talks about the weather but nobody does anything about it.” That phrase was originally supposed to be a joke. It's not a laugh line anymore. The carbon tax is just about the only significant climate change initiative the Canadian government has ever implemented. And it is political poison. Poilievre knows everybody talks about the weather but nobody wants to do jack if they think they might be inconvenienced in any way — even if the inconvenience is more perceived than real. Poilievre's poll numbers offer proof that collective action against the climate emergency is a sad little fantasy, like plastic recycling.

The NDP reluctance to embrace the carbon tax looks pretty cynical. Eby seems to be looking for an edge against the surging BC Conservatives.

And Singh? This is his second repositioning move in a month. Few observers thought his termination of the NDP's confidence and supply agreement with the Liberals was a response to anything concrete — it's not like Trudeau tweeted “I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT” in all caps or anything. It was just a realization that the NDP needed to put some space between themselves and Trudeau. Singh's move may have been calculated, but no big deal, that's politics.

Questioning the carbon tax is different. This is cowardice. And the happiest politician in Canada right now has to be Pierre Poilievre. He's not in power yet, but his opponents are already kneeling before the throne.

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