Provincial Energy Minister calls out Liberal staffer for removing anti-carbon tax stickers

The province’s Minister of Energy says it’s not the adhesive that’s making the carbon tax stickers peel off, but the work of a federal Liberal staffer.

During Question Period at Queen’s Park on Tuesday, Greg Rickford said the stickers, which have been stuck to gas pumps across the province, are being peeled off ‘by Liberal staffers.’

Rickford didn’t provide any evidence to back up his claim but told the media to “look it up” on social media.

A Facebook post made by Mike Whitehouse, Chief of Staff for Sudbury MP Paul Lefebvre, on Oct. 22 seemed to back up the energy minister’s claim.

“A milestone of sorts. Tonight, I ripped off and destroyed my 100th of Doug Ford’s propaganda stickers. Proud to do my part to push back on Ford’s grotesque reign of incompetence.,” the post, which was accompanied by a photo of a hand ripping off an anti-carbon tax sticker, read.

The post was then deleted on Tuesday and Whitehouse apologized.

Lest this go any further, I want to make it clear that defacing stickers on gasoline pumps is against the law and I don’t don’t recommend anyone do it, no matter how morally and intellectually indefensible these stickers are. I regret deeply that my actions may have detracted from the genuine and honest work that so many others are doing to fight the global climate crisis.

Previously, Premier Doug Ford acknowledged that the stickers were produced using the wrong adhesive and were falling off.

The stickers became mandatory by law in Ontario gas stations at the end of August.

Rickford announced on Monday that the stickers would be staying up, saying the public still needed the details the stickers provided.