SPRUCE GROVE — A gas station operator near Edmonton has used some unparliamentary language to publicly protest an increase in Alberta’s carbon tax.
The illuminated sign at the Tempo Gas Station in Spruce Grove on Tuesday night used the f-bomb in front of the words “NDP” and “Trudeau.”
As of Monday, Alberta’s carbon tax went up and raised the cost of a litre of gasoline by about 2.5 cents at the pump.
The business owner, who declined to give his name, says the message was aimed at the Alberta NDP government and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Saskatoon-based Federated Co-operatives Ltd., which owns the Tempo brand and licenses it to independent business owners, says is does not condone the message and asked the owner to remove it.
It has since been replaced with a new message: “NDP carbon tax hurts us all.”
Some customers who fuelled up at the gas station before the profanity “F**K NDP/Trudeau” was taken down said they understand the motivation behind the message, but don’t agree with the wording.
“It’s a public board, and we shouldn’t be swearing on the public board,” one motorist said. “I have children.”