Post #2313084

2026-05-05 12:20 UTC

There's also this mindset that our taxes should come back to us in some way. So the subsidies are considered that and so many were thankful for it during the oil crisis, so dont be too harsh on them. I feel, sometimes, we are talking from a privileged position here. I can afford not having subsidised oil. The poor and even the middle class just cannot. Removing subsidies would be cruel. Of course ideally if it's removed then by then the govt would have implemented various measures to ensure people are not too dependent on oil. If the subsidies were removed now, life will be very hard on the poor. @chu@climatejustice.social @EllenInEdmonton@yeg.bike

Replies (1)

@chu@climatejustice.social 2026-05-05 12:43

@liztai@hachyderm.io @EllenInEdmonton@yeg.bike That's my point though. We had an excellent program where we taxed carbon and redistributed it evenly, no questions asked. As long as you filed taxes, you got a cheque no matter how much you paid. Because I don't pay gas at the pump, and I switched to heat pumps, my carbon tax was effectively zero (yes I know I pay it indirectly through purchases etc). I still got a cheque (deposit ) every quarter. It benefitted the poor because they got a cheque not linked to gas. But the SUV driving Petro loving right wing screamed bloody murder. The banks, who own a lot of Petro positions, refused to put "carbon tax rebate" on the direct deposits so people didn't even know they were getting it. The rw hit job was so intense the program ended after a few years. The government was truly balless in capitulation. Farm country depends on fuel though as distances are large. Trucks are huge and they capitulated to a voter base they would never win anyway.

Open ##2313085