Conservative push for Carbon tax conference gets Commons support

Article content

OTTAWA – A call for the prime minister to meet with Canada’s premiers on the carbon tax got support from the House of Commons Wednesday, as the NDP joined with the Conservatives to encourage the meeting.

A Conservative motion calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to meet with Canada’s premiers for a televised conference on the carbon tax passed with NDP and Bloc support Wednesday. The Liberals remained opposed. The motion, while non-binding, demanded Trudeau hold the meeting with the country’s premiers within five weeks.

Article content

Article content

NDP MP Laurel Collins accused Conservative leader Pierre Poliievre of not having a serious plan to tackle climate change and said many Conservative premiers are also unwilling to tackle the issue directly, but still argued the conference would be a good idea.

“At this time bringing the premiers together with the federal government to have a conversation about climate policy. That is a supportable idea,” she said.

The motion was introduced by Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre and came after the Liberal Premier of Newfoundland Anthoney Furey wrote an open letter to Trudeau calling for the emergency meeting. Several other premiers including leaders in New Brunswick, Ontario, Alberta and Saskatchewan have now echoed that call for a meeting.

In his letter released on April 1, Furey said his government supports the goal of reducing carbon emissions, but people in his province can’t avoid them and have no choice, but to drive vast distances across the island.

“There is no rail system or subway system. Infrastructure to support electric vehicles is improving but remains inadequate through our sparkly populated land mass,” he said.

Article content

Article content

Furey said he supports the idea of pushing consumers toward low-carbon alternatives, but in his province those alternatives don’t exist.

“We need a constructive approach to decarbonize our environment without placing the burden on individual families who simply do not have viable alternative options.”

The current carbon tax regime requires provinces to either create their own system to reduce carbon emissions that meets the same reductions targets as the federal government or have the federal program imposed upon them.

The federal program currently imposes an $80 per tonne carbon tax which translates into a charge of $17.6 per litre on gasoline. Canadians also receive rebates of the tax, ranging from $190 to $450 per quarter depending on what province they live in. There are extra payments available to Canadians who live in rural areas.

In question period on Monday, Poilievre called on the Trudeau to welcome the meeting

Article content

“Everybody understands the tax is driving people to the food bank. That’s why six premiers including the liberal premier of Newfoundland and Labrador have asked for a meeting. Will he agree to a televised carbon tax conference?”

Trudeau defended his policy and accused the Conservatives of standing in the way of legislation that would double the current rebate for rural residents, something the Liberals introduced last fall.

“What would be also helpful is if we were able to deliver the doubling of the rural top up to put hundreds of dollars in the audience, but the Conservative Party is blocking the legislation to double the rural top.”

Collins said both the Liberals and the Conservatives have used the carbon tax debate as a political wedge, without getting results. She said if premiers don’t have an alternative that should be made clear.

“They do not have a plan to fight the climate crisis and that’s something that Canadians should be aware of,” she said. “Canadians want to see their politicians trying to work out their differences, and there are differences between the provinces and the federal government.

National Post
rtumilty@postmedia.com

Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here.

Article content