With the unpopularity of the B.C. Liberals higher than ever, a new party has the chance to shine, and axing the gas tax (carbon tax) might be a key to their election should a referendum be called this year.

Whether it be the BCNDP, the resurrected-from-the-dead B.C. Conservatives, or some other party that may surface, axing the gas tax could be the perfect opportunity to show British Columbians, specifically ranching, agriculture, and the middle class, that it is an inappropriate tax that was forced on everyone, all under the guise of being green.

While the HST is much despised, I hear more people complaining about the gas tax, controversy over which has conveniently disappeared from the media and political debate.

Endless repeats of TV documentaries featuring David Suzuki and Al Gore talking about how global warming will kill us all unless we pay a tax on carbon production may have convinced some, but agriculture and Joe Q. Citizen are still not buying it.

There is simply no proof/evidence that the tax does anything to reduce green house emissions. It sounds good, it's gimmicky, and there may be good intentions behind it, but it doesn't work.

While that tax continues to be increased, with little mention, greenhouse gases actually are going up.

Provincial hypocrisy is quite apparent to those who pay attention. Taxes haven't worked to reduce consumption of petro-fuels, but things like shopping locally (100-mile diet), consuming organic foods, reusing or banning plastic bags, and allowing the electric car to be sold to the general public, are methods not encouraged by the government. Why not? They are legitimate forms of conservation and pollution prevention, and they have shown to actually work.

Carbon this and carbon that—terms like “carbon footprint” are being drilled into our minds in a cult-like fashion, and for good reason. The shady-looking global environmental movement, championed by wealthy globalists like Canadian-born Maurice Strong, has taken over a once grass-roots concept of nature conservation and turned it into a full-blown political force, used to implement unfair and excessive taxes.

These globalists, with their environmental mask on, green flag waving, and all, dare not put those taxes on industry and all the main contributors of atmospheric and land pollution. No, they turn around and tax the people. Why?

Is the B.C. Government hoping we will forget about the tax and they can just continue on with their hands in our pockets?

Let's hope legitimate environmentalists begin to see how and by whom they are being directed.

Without taking steam away from the anti-HST drive, let us not forget the gas tax as we make our way to the polls—whenever that may be.

—John O'Connor