The carbon tax, a key pillar in the party platform introduced in November, was forecast to bring in an estimated $4 billion and fund an income tax cut, as well as mental health spending among other measures. Experts say eliminating the carbon tax would require overhauling the party platform mere months ahead of a spring election. “I’m not going to introduce a carbon tax and if the prime minister tries to make us, well, in the words of his father: just watch me,” Ford has said in a tweet. Mulroney said she believes the Tories could find savings elsewhere to help offset the loss of the carbon tax revenue. Experts note that while cutting the tax might win points with some voters, in the end Ontario will nonetheless have a carbon pricing system as a result of federal rules that require provinces adopt either a carbon tax or a cap-and-trade system.

Source: National Post February 09, 2018 18:22 UTC