REGINA — The Opposition NDP failed in its latest attempt to suspend the province's fuel tax.
This time, NDP finance critic Trent Wotherspoon attempted to move an emergency motion to suspend the 15-cent-a-litre fuel tax and marked diesel tax in response to the surge in oil prices due to disruptions from the war in the Middle East.
But the Opposition motion needed unanimous consent to make it to the floor for debate under Assembly rules. The Saskatchewan Party majority loudly said no, ending the effort.
This latest turn of events comes after Opposition Leader Carla Beck last week publicly called for the fuel tax to be suspended in advance of the provincial budget, citing cost-of-living pressures.
But the government did not come through with that form of relief, instead pointing to its $2.5 billion in annual affordability measures. Finance Minister Jim Reiter has said previously that revenues from the fuel tax are needed for the highways ministry for road construction.
The reaction from Wotherspoon to Monday's latest setback was predictable.
"Clearly people need a break," said Wotherspoon, who pointed to gas prices of upwards of $1.75 a litre.
Wotherspoon told reporters he wanted to see "corresponding relief while he provincial revenues are up during this conflict… we have an incredibly out of touch government in place that proved that once again here today that would have given a break to people at the pumps cutting the 15 cent a litre gas tax while prices are driven up by his conflict."
