Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is on the "Nice List" for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. (Photo: Pattison Media)

By David Opinko

Alberta Premier makes Taxpayers Federation’s ‘Nice List’

Dec 23, 2024 | 10:47 AM

Danielle Smith will not be receiving a lump of coal for Christmas, despite her government’s efforts to allow for new coal mines.

The Canadian Taxpayer’s Federation (CTF) has made its annual Naughty and Nice List, and Federal Director Franco Terrazzano has checked his list of the country’s politicians and bureaucrats twice.

“Santa doesn’t like it when girls and boys are greedy, and forcing struggling taxpayers to pay for Santa-sized executive bonuses is as greedy as it gets,” says Terrazzano. “And Canadian diplomats are on the Naughty List too because Santa likes eggnog as much as the next guy, but even he knows Global Affairs Canada is sipping on a little too much Christmas spirit.”

The premier of Alberta has landed herself on the Nice List for “taking Santa’s least favourite tax back to court.”

Smith announced in late October that the Alberta Government is launching a judicial review following what she says was an unfair carbon tax exemption for heating oil in eastern Canada.

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READ MORE: Alberta files legal action against federal government over eastern Canada carbon tax exemption

People in that part of the country were given a three-year break from paying the carbon tax on home heating oil.

Smith said that the federal government should not be picking and choosing who the tax applies to, especially when most Canadians do not even use that type of fuel.

The CTF says “Smith is taking the Grinch’s carbon tax back to court over the carve out and Santa couldn’t be happier.”

Those on the CTF’s Naughty List are:

• CBC President and CEO Catherine Tait
  • “For dishing out Santa-sized executive bonuses”
• Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
  • “For prioritizing carbon taxes over grocery bills”
• Ontario Premier Doug Ford
  • “For sticking his hands in the taxpayer cookie jar to grab more political welfare”
• Global Affairs Canada
  • “For billing taxpayers $51,000 a month for their Christmas spirits”
• Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham
  • “For breaking promises and hiking taxes”
• The entire federal bureaucracy
  • “For gorging on too many tax dollars”

The CTF’s Nice List includes:

• Former Kensington Mayor Rowan Caseley
  • “For saving taxpayers’ money through self-sacrifice”
• Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe
  • “For keeping the heat on during Christmas time”
• Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey
  • “For keeping more money in families’ pockets”
• Alberta Premier Danielle Smith
  • “For taking Santa’s least favourite tax back to court”
• Parliamentary Budget Officer Yves Giroux
  • “For the gift of government accountability and transparency”

You can see the CTF’s full Naughty and Nice List here.

READ MORE: Albertans can brace for tax hikes, some cuts in 2025