OTTAWA- On Wednesday, November 8th, 2023, Parliament voted on the NDP's plan to permanently help all Canadians- in every province and territory- pay their bills by taking the GST off home heating and putting in place a windfall tax on big oil and gas corporations making record profits. The money recovered from the windfall tax could have been used to help Canadians move to cheaper and cleaner home heating options.
But the Liberals and Conservative's teamed up to vote against it. But both the Liberals and Conservative's so-called plans for home heating leave British Columbians, who don't pay a federal carbon tax, out.
“It’s deeply upsetting to see after all their talk, that the Liberals and Conservatives chose not to support the NDP’s plan to lower home heating bills or help people switch to cheaper, and more environmentally friendly options,” said NDP MP Rachel Blaney (North Island – Powell River). “People in our communities want to see their government working for them– but Justin Trudeau and Pierre Poilievre disappointed by doing what they do best, protecting rich CEOs.”
While families are struggling to pay their heat bill, the biggest oil and gas companies in Canada bought in $38 billion in profit last year. New Democrats challenged both Justin Trudeau and Pierre Poilievre to help every Canadian by removing the GST off home heating and putting in place windfall tax on oil and gas companies making record profits, and yet again they refused to do it.
New Democrats have been fighting to remove the GST off of home heating since Jack Layton was leader.
"Given the challenges, Canadians are facing right now due to high inflation and high interest rates, it's absurd that the Conservatives and Liberals would vote against a common sense plan that would help all people from coast to coast to coast to keep their heat on," said NDP MP Gord Johns (Courtenay – Alberni). “Making rich CEOs pay their fair share, to help lower costs for Canadians isn’t a stretch, the United Kingdom and other countries have done it. The only difference is the Liberals and Conservatives say what people want to hear, but they don’t have the political will to stand up to the CEOs who are driving up costs. But New Democrats do, and we’re going to keep fighting for lower costs.”