Even Genghis Khan learned to be peaceful. ... when he saw how much more rewarding it was to tax peasants than to kill them.
- Professor Monica Prasad
British Columbians strongly oppose the 50 per cent increase in the B.C. Liberals' carbon tax imposed July 1, new polling conducted exclusively for 24 hours suggests.
Polling by Strategic Communications shows that 65% of those surveyed disagree with the 1.17 cent per litre carbon tax increase on gas and 1.35 cents on heating fuel.
And a full 47% "strongly oppose" the carbon tax increase, while only 30% of those polled support the gas tax hike and just 11% "strongly support" it.
Another 5% don't oppose or support it.
The new carbon tax rate is 3.51 cents per litre on gas and 4.04 cents per litre on heating fuel.
It continues rising annually until it hits 7 cents per litre on gas and 8 cents on heating fuel in 2012.
Strategic Communications president Bob Penner says that despite the recent re-election of Premier Gordon Campbell, who introduced North America's only carbon tax, it is still strongly opposed.
"It's obvious nobody likes paying a tax increase, but it's pretty clear from this poll, and previous ones that we and others have done, that regardless of the substance of the issue, the Liberals have so far completely failed to sell this carbon tax," Penner says.
The poll of 1,000 British Columbians conducted online from June 22 to 29 shows an interesting urban-rural split, with 48% of Vancouver residents supporting the tax and 41% opposed - the only place where the tax increase is slightly favoured.
In the rest of Metro Vancouver the gas tax increase is opposed by 65%, with 45% strongly opposed; on Vancouver Island 66% opposed; in the interior 72% opposed; and in the north 84% were against it, with 72% strongly opposed. One caution - regional breakdowns are based on much smaller samples.
Every age group of British Columbians surveyed opposed the gas tax hike, from 50% of younger people opposed and 35% supportive to 50 to 64 year olds being 71% against it and 25% in favour. And interestingly, women are more opposed than men - by 66% to 63%.
The polling clearly shows some environmentalists and others who argue imposing the carbon tax was a political winner for the B.C. Liberals and opposing it a mistake for the B.C. New Democrats are wrong.
As argued here, the B.C. Liberals won in spite of the tax, not because of it.
If, like me, you oppose this unfair and ineffective tax, join my online protest group with over 9,000 members by going to www.facebook.com and search for Axe The BC Gas Tax.
Read more from Bill Tieleman at www.thetyee.ca Hear Bill Mondays at 10 a.m. on CKNW AM 980's Bill Good Show. Email: weststar@telus.net Website: billtieleman.blogspot.com
