Federal Conservatives are aligning themselves more than ever with B.C. political parties opposed to taxing carbon.

Speaking in Terrace yesterday (March 26), Conservative Member of Parliament Bob Zimmer repeatedly connected B.C. Premier David Eby with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in criticizing a scheduled increase in the carbon tax as of April 1.

Although the carbon tax in B.C. is a provincial one and began in 2008, a full decade before a federal tax was implemented elsewhere in Canada, Zimmer said they are, in effect, one and the same because the federal one would have applied in B.C. if B.C. did not have one of its own.

The scheduled April 1 increase will raise the price of carbon from $65 a ton to $80 a ton representing a hike of approximately three cents on a litre of gas. The increase also applies to home heating fuels such as natural gas.

鈥淭his is about energy, this is about affordability, it鈥檚 about the cost of living and we have a provincial government and a federal government [that] just don鈥檛 care,鈥� Zimmer said.

鈥淚鈥檓 just saying that the premier and prime minister are very much working in lockstep.鈥�

He pointed to this October鈥檚 provincial election as a chance for B.C. voters to express their opposition to the carbon tax regardless of its origin.

鈥淲e have two parties in the province that are running provincially that say, hey, we鈥檙e going to go along with what [federal Conservative leader] Pierre Poilievre is saying [that] if we get elected, we鈥檙e going to actually axe the carbon tax,鈥� Zimmer said.

鈥淲e just applaud those parties for doing so.鈥�

Zimmer declined to name the B.C. United Party or the provincial Conservative Party, both of whom are pledging to eliminate the provincial carbon tax.

Nor would he express a preference for either one.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 have a membership in any provincial party, but I will say I am most definitely 100 per cent against this premier, Premier Eby, and really what he鈥檚 doing to the province and that鈥檚 what I am not going to be on the fence over. They鈥檙e ruining the province.鈥�

Zimmer, who represents the Prince George 鈥� Peace River 鈥� Northern Rockies riding, made the statements in front of Skeena - Bulkley Valley NDP MP Taylor Bachrach鈥檚 Terrace office to emphasize Bachrach voted against a Conservative non-confidence motion last week in Parliament. If a majority of MPs had voted in favour of halting the April 1 increase, it would have resulted in a federal election.

鈥淭he NDP federally continues to prop up Justin Trudeau and the corrupt Liberals,鈥� Zimmer said.

Zimmer was joined by B.C. United Party Skeena MLA Ellis Ross who won鈥檛 be running again in this fall鈥檚 provincial election because he has been named the federal Conservative candidate for the Skeena - Bulkley Valley riding.

Ross added to Zimmer鈥檚 comments, saying seven of Canada鈥檚 premiers have signed on to the federal Conservative campaign to halt the planned April 1 tax increase.

He said Eby鈥檚 comment that Poilievre鈥檚 political policies come from a 鈥渂aloney factory鈥� was 鈥渉eartless and cruel.鈥�

That comment was made when Eby was in Terrace three weeks ago and asked for his opinion on Poilievre鈥檚 plan to eliminate the carbon tax.

鈥淚t鈥檒l hit gas, oil, agriculture, transportation,鈥� Ross said. 鈥淎nd on top of that by 2035 you will not have the choice to buy an electric or gas or diesel truck in B.C. All manufacturers must provide electric vehicles so you will not have a choice.鈥�