By Tom Harris, John Zacharias, Ron Davison and Andrew Bonvicini
The Conservative Party of Canada’s (CPC) “Axe the Tax” campaign has succeeded beyond their wildest dreams, turning millions of Canadians against the carbon tax.
Now, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s pending departure, even Liberals realize they would lose a carbon tax election.
All Liberal leadership front-runners are proposing changes. Mark Carney, a staunch supporter, conceded at his Jan. 16 leadership launch, “We need to replace it with something else… more effective.” Chrystia Freeland suggests a new system with provinces, while Karina Gould proposes freezing the federal carbon price rather than canceling it.
But scrapping the carbon tax alone is not enough. Canada must break free from net-zero policies. As political landscapes shift, so too must strategies. “Axe the Tax” no longer cuts it.
Pierre Poilievre and the CPC must offer Canadians a climate policy that benefits, not burdens, our nation. The party must now shift focus to “No net-zero!” to save us from a multi-trillion-dollar catastrophe that will do virtually nothing to affect global emissions, let alone climate.
Net-zero is marketed as a reasonable goal, but in reality, it is all pain and no gain. It demands that greenhouse gas emissions equal removals. Despite Canada already generating 82% of its electricity without carbon dioxide emissions, the federal government still requires net-zero in the power sector by 2035. This target is economically reckless and scientifically meaningless.
Canada’s net-zero strategy has targeted the oil and gas sector, crippled investment, driven up energy costs, and stifled job growth.
European nations, having aggressively pursued green energy, offer a sobering warning. Their rising costs, increasing taxes, ballooning subsidies, mounting debt, and surging inflation have fueled deindustrialization, forcing jobs overseas as European manufacturing becomes uncompetitive.
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The financial burden of net-nero is staggering. Canada’s 2022 capital commitment to achieve net-nero by 2050 is estimated at $3.6 trillion over 28 years, or $90,000 per Canadian, on top of the existing $30,000 per person national debt. Now that the U.S. has exited the UN Paris Agreement, Canada must rethink its approach to keep businesses competitive. Otherwise, younger generations will inherit crippling debt they never requested or approved.
But the carbon tax is just one symptom of the broader climate alarmism infecting Canada. Poilievre must reject the naive belief that humanity can control “global temperatures” like a thermostat. Instead, he should prioritize real-world adaptation projects that protect Canadians from extreme weather while rejecting costly, ineffective net-zero schemes.
The CPC needs a “No net-nero” strategy to foster economic growth and affordability while rejecting ineffective, ideological climate policies. Some conservative strategists may hesitate; fearing electoral backlash, but history proves otherwise. In 2006, Stephen Harper defeated Paul Martin despite ignoring climate change in his platform. He focused on clean air, contaminated sites, and protecting the Great Lakes, real, tangible issues that mattered to voters. At the time, the Liberals led in the polls, but today, the CPC enjoys a commanding lead, reflecting a shift in public sentiment. Harper did not yield to climate hysteria,and he won.
Canada is in crisis. Fundamental necessities like food, housing, and energy are unaffordable for many. The standard of living has plummeted. The CPC must act decisively by prioritizing Canadians’ safety and well-being, championing a “No net-zero” policy, and explaining why this is the right path to restore economic vitality, energy security, and climate resilience.
Net-zero policies have already damaged our nation, and it is time to reject the climate cult, put Canadians first, and focus on real solutions to repair the harm done.
Tom Harris is Executive Director of International Climate Science Coalition – Canada.
Ron Davison and Andrew Bonvicini are current and past Presidents of Friends of Science Society.
John Zacharias is a Director of Canadians for Sensible Climate Policy (CSCP).
These four concerned citizens are co-authors of CSCP’s book, Energy & Climate at a Glance – Canadian Edition.