By Charlotte Morritt-Jacobs - (@morrittjacobs on Twitter)

Rally Against Provincial Carbon Tax Draws Large Crowd

Dec 4, 2016 | 11:15 AM

EDMONTON –  More than a thousand people gathered in front of the Alberta legislature on Saturday (Dec. 3) to voice their opinions and protest the NDP’s proposed carbon tax. The crowd chanted “No more Notley” and “lock her up”, in response to Premier Rachel Notley’s energy policy.

The “Families for Saving Alberta” rally, was hosted by The Rebel Media, and was advertised an opportunity to show the NDP government the opposition to the tax to be implemented in 2017.

Leader of the Wildrose party Brian Jean said that he has seen a growing sense of entitlement from the NDP and touched on several policies under the leading government that he has disappointment in.

“We are seeing a growing sense of cronyism and entitlement from an NDP government that just got started – they are more concerned with impressing bureaucrats, lobbyist and academics than standing up for the men and women that work and pay their taxes.”

It wasn’t only the NDP that was jeered by the crowd.  The crowd responded with deafening applause and booing when Jean called the federal government to task.

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“We will fight Ottawa every single day, when they try to tax Albertans and take our money and send it somewhere else – the fact that we lose $22 to $28 Billion a year to Ottawa which we don’t see back in services is unacceptable.”

Jean reiterated that not only would his party tear up the carbon tax but, it would also address federal inequalities.

Wildrose Shadow Electricity & Renewables Minister Don MacInytre was also in attendance, and audience members cheered as he relabeled the carbon tax a “provincial sales tax.”

MacIntyre said that Albertans deserve a referendum as they were not consulted properly on the upcoming tax.

The carbon tax will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2017.

 An opinion poll released in October, 2016 found that two out of three Albertans are against Premier Rachel Notley’s plans for a carbon tax.