Quote:
Originally Posted by Stranger
I work with my Dad on the farm. I can tell you right now that if taxes on fuel are increased with Dion's green shift, it will put more pressure on an already frustrating situation.
Farmers don't have the luxury of passing on costs to the consumer like other industries. If a carbon tax is put in place, not only gas and diesel prices will rise. Truckers will charge more to transport our grain. Fertilizer will increase in cost because of rising natural gas costs. Heating bills for our shop will increase. And the list goes on. If gas prices increase like some have suggusted on this board, it would easily amout to tens of thousands of dollars to our farm.
Dion can say that he will give farmers and truckers a rebate to cover the cost increases, but I assure you it won't. Many farmers are already on the verge of quitting, and this will only increase the number of farm sales.
I'm not saying I'm against the environmental movement, but it can't be forced upon us in one step. This is something that should take years to bring in, starting with gradually phasing out what we deem to be causing the problem and gradually phasing in newer more efficient technologies. A new tax will do absolutely nothing, but create another big government program that does nothing but take more taxes out of the average Canadian's pocket.
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Not to mention, western farmers are FORCED to sell their wheat and barley to the wheat board yet eastern farmers can sell it to whom they please.