Our Primetime This Week Panel looks at the increase in the carbon tax, the impact of a minimum wage increase, left out in the cold and road rage
Carbon tax increase fires up opposition
On January 1st Alberta’s carbon tax went up another 50 per cent to sit at $30 a tonne. Diesel and gasoline increased by more than 2 cents a litre from last year and natural gas climbed by about 50 cents per gigajoule.
The owner of a Tempo gas station in Spruce Grove used his business’s billboard to voice displeasure at the increase. while UCP leader Jason Kenney gassed up on New Years’ Eve and posted a video on social media. He says he was trying to get ahead of the tax.
Despite some notable opposition to Alberta's carbon tax, will the 50 percent increase really affect ordinary Albertans?
Passenger alleges cab driver left him in the cold
Carson Terpsma, 19, says when he hopped in the cab the driver told him $40 would get him from Edmonton’s Whyte Avenue to his home in Beaumont, south of the city. When the meter hit $40 on the outskirts of town,
Terpsma alleges the Yellow Cab driver dropped him off in frigid temperatures and kilometers from home. Terpsma was able to call his mom to pick him up.
Yellow Cab says the driver’s privileges have been revoked while it investigates. The company says “there are a number of significant inconsistencies between what is being reported by third parties and the information being provided by the driver.” Yellow Cab says its policy is to drop off clients at the closest, safe public location when they do not have the money to drive any further.
Bank of Canada warns minimum wage increases could cost 60,000 jobs
Alberta is set to bump its minimum wage to $15 an hour later this year.
Quebec and Prince Edward Island will also see increases. Ontario increased its minimum wage from $11.60 to $14 an hour on January 1st.
Some Tim Hortons employees in the province say they are losing paid breaks and paid benefits as the owners look to scale back after the increase.
Aggressive driving on rise in Alberta: AMA survey
In a survey of about 1,800 Albertans, Alberta Motor Association found more than half of respondents believe aggressive driving has increased in the province over the last three years. Nearly half say road rage is on the rise.
Drivers point to angry gestures, honking horns and tailgating as some of the aggressive behaviours they see on the road most frequently.
Our Primetime This Week Panel includes: Tristin Hopper, reporter with the National Post; Annalise Klingbell, reporter with the Calgary Herald and Darren Krause, managing editor with Metro Calgary.
