Ontario Gas Tax Stickers

Open Letter - copies sent to :
Premier Doug Ford 
(direct e-mail = doug.ford@pc.ola.org )
Ontario Ministry of Finance
(via web site / only allows 500 characters! = https://www.fin.gov.on.ca/en/contact/index.html)
MPP Bill Walker, Bruce/Grey/Owen Sound
(via web site / only allows 1000 characters = https://billwalkermpp.com/contact_email.php)
Conservative Party of Ontario
(via web site = https://www.ontariopc.ca/get_in_touch)
Conservative Party of Canada
(via web site = https://www.conservative.ca/contact/ )
Commissioner of Canada Elections
(direct e-mail = info@cef-cce.ca )
(1)

I am contacting you as a resident (and tax payer) of Ontario.

This is relation to the Ontario Conservative Government (Doug Ford) and its current media campaign about the Federal carbon tax - applied to gasoline.

taken from the CBC web site (below)

I had bought gas at the same location in Authur Ontario, first on Sept 5, then again September 12. There was no sticker the first time, it was in place the second time.
When I paid for my fuel, I asked the attendant if the station was required by the (Conservative) Government to post the stickers. He told me that this was in fact the case, and they were forced against threat of fines.

When I returned home, I attempted to get more information about this, via the internet:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/carbon-tax-stickers-law-ontario-1.5265380
https://www.nationalnewswatch.com/…/ontario-gas-stations-m…/

The indicated articles state "The (Ontario) government has earmarked $30 million for its fight against the carbon tax..."

Guess who is paying for THAT - and out of MY pocket?

Please not that I am not addressing here my feelings on Climate Change (2), and my personal responsibility towards some attempt at dealing with this. I am considering nothing more than the purely POLITICAL question represented.
I found the ‘information’ content of the sticker misleading, and personally consider it nothing less than partisan propaganda.

I specifically note the official start of campaign for the Federal election was September 11. 
Yes, I see that the policy was put into force starting August 30. However, to add insult to injury, it is hard not to see this current use of forced ‘announcement’ little more that an attempt to both boost support for Conservatives, and at the very least,  bend  Canadian laws on election advertisement.


I consider this nothing less than blatant political propaganda by Ford.
Paid for by the Ontario Taxpayer.

Darrell Markewitz
Wareham, Grey County
info@warehamforge.ca


Notes :

1) I have found the methods permitted for the transfer of information to my Government ministries, and my elected 'representatives' to be at best restrictive.
a) the use of web site 'form filling' for the majority of the offices listed. In most cases, I was also required to submit considerable personal contact information (addresses and phone numbers). I will fully be expecting these will be used (in the case of all the Political institutions) to send me unwanted advertisements.
b) In two cases (as listed) there were character limits imposed. These did not allow for any correct or complete sending of information on my part. 
The fact that one of these was for my local MPP, Bill Walker, I find particularly troubling. 

2) I have written a number of times here about 'Carbon and the Forge'
I state once again that am absolutely certain of the reality of Climate Change from both the scientific data, observations by others I trust - and my own personal experience. 
I also repeat my belief that I share a personal responsibility for not only contributing (and continuing to contribute) to Carbon emissions, and further, a responsibility to undertake actions to reduce my own impact on the environment.