Article content

It looks like deja vu all over again.

Forty years ago, in 1979, an arrogant prime minister Joe Clark threatened to impose on Canadians higher gas prices at the pump, 18 cents tax per gallon, to be exact. His government fell on a non-confidence vote to the then-Liberal opposition led by Pierre Trudeau.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or GUEST COLUMN: Higher gas prices could torpedo Trudeau, just like Joe Clark in ‘79 Back to video

What goes around, comes around.

When Justin Trudeau and his Liberals impose carbon taxes on the Canadian people this year, they may meet the same fate as the hapless Joe Clark and his then minority Conservative government, for the same reasons.

Recall the sage words of philosopher George Santayana, “Those who cannot remember the past, are condemned to repeat it.”

The historical similarities between the Clark government of ’79 and the Trudeau government of today, are eerily similar.

After sixteen years of continuous Liberal rule, Joe Clark was elected as prime minister of a minority Conservative government. Clark wrongly believed at the time he had a mandate to effect massive change.