Governments should receive a good grade when and only when a positive promise turns into action.
It is with this in mind, that I would like to give Prime Minister Mark Carney an A-plus for an announcement last week that takes effect today.
Fresh off his newly minted majority government, Carney announced last Tuesday that the federal government is going to pause the fuel excise tax on gas and diesel until Labour Day.
Already on my drive in long before daybreak today, I could see the price at some pumps dropping by the predicted 10 cents a litre, which is welcome news in general and especially as we begin to approach the spring and summer road trip season.
The move was taken to reduce people’s pain at the pumps caused the conflict in the Middle East, which many experts agree won’t be solved anytime soon (at least when it comes to global oil and fuel supply).
This is perhaps the best possible example of direct government economic intervention.
It’s simple, direct, will help out immediately and also help moderate any price increases for things like food and other essentials delivered by truck.
Like many economic factors which begin south of the border, there is only so much we can control, but in this case praise shall be delivered as promise swiftly becomes prudent practice. Well done!
I’m Paul Martin and that’s what I see looking Beyond the Headlines.
