Carbon tax protesters rally on highway west of Calgary
Protesters against Ottawa's recent raise of the carbon tax have set up a rally west of Calgary and it's created a huge back up on the Trans-Canada Highway.
The event, organized by a group called Nationwide Protest Against Carbon Tax, is one of 15 happening across the country on Monday.
According to the group's website, its goal is the "Immediate removal of the carbon tax, without replacement by any other form of taxation."
The rally began at 8 a.m. at the intersection of Highway 1 and Highway 22 near Cochrane.
As of 7:45 a.m., around a dozen RVs were set up beside the highway, and vehicles with Canada flags were assembling.
Several RCMP vehicles were also parked nearby.
By noon, the protest shifted to the highway itself, blocking one lane of traffic on the route, creating a big backup.
The group's website says it hopes to maintain at least one centre lane open for traffic and to continue the event until goals are achieved, "regardless of duration."
The protests come as the federal government raised the price of carbon from $65 per tonne to $80 per tonne on April 1.
The tax hike has been a significant attack point for conservatives, and several premiers, including Alberta's, have called on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to cancel the increase.
RCMP say drivers should be aware of potential delays and disruptions on Highway 1 west of Cochrane and should consider alternate routes to avoid them.
"Alberta RCMP and partner organizations will be present to ensure that the impact on travellers will be minimized and to ensure traffic disruption will not affect public safety.," officials said in a news release.
Just after 5:30 p.m., RCMP advised that traffic was being diverted on Highway 1 west of Cochrane. But in another update around 7:30 p.m., RCMP said the diversion had ended and traffic was flowing normally in both directions.
Tax hikes 'wrong', organization says
The Canadian Taxpayers Federation says the federal government's move to increase its carbon and alcohol taxes on April 1 is the "wrong" move when costs are increasing for all Canadians.
"Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is making life more expensive today with his tax hikes,” said Franco Terrazzano, CTF's federal director, in a news release. “The feds should be providing relief, not hiking taxes that make Canadians’ lives more expensive.”
The CTF says the increased taxes will cost Canadians $911 more than what they see in rebates and the alcohol tax will cost taxpayers $40 million.
In the meantime, it said all MPs received a raise of between $8,500 and $17,000 on April 1, meaning a backbench MP's salary is now $203,100, a minister's salary is $299,900 and the prime minister is earning $406,200.
"MPs are taking more money out of Canadians’ pockets and stuffing more money into their own and that’s wrong," Terrazzano said.
"MPs should be providing tax relief, not hiking taxes and their own pay."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Freeland previews omnibus budget bill, proposed capital gains tax change left out
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland will be tabling yet another omnibus bill to pass a sweeping range of measures promised in her April 16 federal budget, though left out of the legislation is the government's proposed capital gains tax change.
Man dies after suffering cardiac arrest while waiting in ER, widow wants investigation
When an ambulance took David Lippert to the hospital in March of 2023, the 68-year-old Kitchener, Ont., executive was hoping to find out why he was feeling weak and unable to walk. Some 24 hours later, he was found unresponsive in the ER.
Baby, grandparents among 4 people killed in wrong-way police chase on Ontario's Hwy. 401
A police chase which started with a liquor store robbery in Bowmanville Monday night ended in tragedy some 20 minutes later when a suspect fleeing police entered Highway 401 in the wrong direction and caused a pileup which killed an infant and the child's grandparents, as well as the suspect, investigators say.
Air Canada walks back new seat selection policy change after backlash
Air Canada has paused a new seat selection fee for travellers booked on the lowest fares just days after implementing it.
McGill requests 'police assistance' over pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University says it has 'requested police assistance' about the pro-Palestinian encampment on its lower field.
Judge raises threat of jail in hush money trial as he holds Trump in contempt, fines him US$9,000
Donald Trump was held in contempt of court Tuesday and fined US$9,000 for repeatedly violating a gag order that barred him from making public statements about witnesses, jurors and some others connected to his New York hush money case. And if he does it again, the judge warned, he could be jailed.
Court upholds Milwaukee police officer's firing for posting racist memes after Sterling Brown arrest
The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that a former Milwaukee police officer was properly fired for posting racist memes related to the arrest of an NBA player that triggered a public outcry.
Video captures deadly wrong-way police chase on Highway 401 in Ontario
A new video has surfaced showing a vehicle being pursued by police in the wrong direction on Highway 401 moments prior to a fatal crash that killed four people, including an infant and their grandparents.
New cancer treatment approved, but not everyone thinks it's what's best for patients
A new cancer treatment recently approved in Canada promises to cut treatment time down to just minutes, but experts have differing opinions on whether it's what's best for patients.