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Premier Rachel Notley often says that to get a pipeline built, the province must have “social licence.”

It’s equally true that to push through a new levy like the carbon tax, a government needs political licence.

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The NDP is now driving without one.

A new poll by ThinkHQ Public Affairs shows that 63 per cent of respondents disapprove of the new carbon tax, which comes into effect Jan. 1.

That number includes 47 per cent who strongly disapprove, and 16 per cent who somewhat disapprove. Negative feelings run deep.

This is sharply at odds with Notley’s own happy narrative.

Only this week she said: “I’m fairly confident the majority of Albertans support our direction, both in terms of taking action on climate change for generations now and in the future.”

The confidence is misplaced. That majority, if it ever existed, has relocated.

The poll also shows a rise in discontent with the whole climate change plan (the tax, plus coal phase-out, rising carbon price, etc).