Foothills MP John Barlow is seeing red when it comes to the federal government's plans to introduce a carbon tax at the national level.

Barlow says look back at the 2008 recession when the auto industry was on it's knee's.

There were no plans to introduce new taxes aimed at the auto sector.

So, when we have the energy industry reeling right now, our unemployment in Alberta at eight percent, the highest it's been since the Liberal National Energy Program. Why would this be the time to start introducing another tax on this industry which will cripple it?"

Barlow says when you add a new national carbon tax, to the one the province will roll out in January to the existing GST, we are going to be paying a whole lot more in "up front" taxes.

He says you can throw the provincial increase in the minimum wage into the mix as well, which will increase costs as business owners scramble to pay higher salaries which will likely lead to few people being hired and in some cases job losses.

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