FORT ST JOHN -- Protests are scheduled to be held across Canada, including here in the Peace Region, on April 1st demanding the federal government reverse the decision to impose a 23 per cent hike to the carbon tax.
An ‘Axe The Tax’ rally scheduled in the Peace Region will see protestors from Fort St. John, Dawson Creek, Tumbler Ridge, and surrounding regions embark on a drive to the Demmitt Scales located near the border of B.C. and Alberta to meet with other groups that will be holding a demonstration.
“I don’t feel that the Liberal Government has all Canadians best interest in mind—I just don’t feel that it’s fair,” said Hannah Townsend, one of the facilitators of the protest in Fort St. John.
Speaking with CJDC-TV, Townsend says that the people will gather at 7:00 a.m. in the Safeway parking lot on 100th Street and depart for the scales at 7:30— to make the 118 kilometre drive.
They will be joined by protestors in Dawson Creek will meet at 8:00 a.m. at the UFA Cardlock.
“They’re ignoring the cries of lots of lots of Canadians and they’re not thinking about our best interests,” said Townsend.
Hundreds of people are expected to attend, with Townsend saying a post to social media garnered over 200 likes.
The Facebook group “Nationwide Protest Against the Carbon Tax” has over 162,000 members.
“It’s important to me personally because I just think that we all need to kind of gather together and try to make a difference,” said Townsend.
Townsend said the protests have been receiving pushback, with some residents saying that they either can’t afford the fuel to get down there or that what is done here doesn’t have an impact on what happens in Ottawa.
“I hope that they can hear us with us gathering because it’s not just our area—all over Canada people are going to be gathering,” said Townsend.
Rallies are set to take place in Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Quebec and The Maritimes on April 1st—the same day the increase is set to get into effect.
