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Canada’s main opposition party switches climate change policy, backs carbon pricing

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By Nia Williams

CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) – Canada‘s opposition Conservative Party on Thursday dropped its resistance to carbon pricing and adopted the fee on emissions and fuels as part of its own climate plan, a move that could put it at odds with some of its staunchest supporters.

Climate change has proved a thorny issue for the Conservative Party under leader Erin O’Toole. Most Conservative delegates voted against recognizing climate change as a real threat at a policy convention last month.

“We will scrap (Liberal Prime Minister) Justin Trudeau’s carbon tax on working Canadians,” O’Toole said at that convention, noting however that the party “fought and lost two elections against a carbon tax.”

O’Toole said his own plan was better than the Liberal one. Carbon pricing imposes fees on the use of carbon-based fuels such as oil either through charges for emissions or by adding to the price of gasoline and other fuels.

Trudeau’s national carbon price is due to ramp up to C$170 a ton by 2030, though 90% is returned to Canadian taxpayers through rebates. The Conservatives would cap prices at C$50 a ton for taxpayers, who would pay the levy into a government savings account and be able to use the money to make “green” purchases like bicycles.

A number of provinces – including the energy heartland and Conservative Party bastion of Alberta – oppose carbon pricing, and challenged the government’s scheme in the Supreme Court. Last month, the court upheld Trudeau’s plan.

“Any new climate plan…must minimize the costs on Albertans and on our trade-exposed industries while at the same time, continuing to responsibly reduce emissions from Alberta,” Alberta Environment Minister Jason Nixon said.

O’Toole said a Conservative government would meet Canada‘s international pledge to cut emissions 30% below 2005 levels by 2030, and match greenhouse gas reductions promised in the Liberal climate plan.

“It’s outrageous that O’Toole is now planning to hammer Canadians with higher fuel bills through his very own carbon tax,” said Franco Terrazzano, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation’s Alberta director.

Many Liberal insiders expect Trudeau to seek an election later this year. Trudeau’s Liberals lead O’Toole’s Conservatives 37% to 29%, according an Abacus Data poll published on Thursday.

 

(Additional reporting by David Ljunggren in Ottawa, editing by Steve Scherer, Marguerita Choy and Cynthia Osterman)

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RCMP arrest second suspect in deadly shooting east of Calgary

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EDMONTON – RCMP say a second suspect has been arrested in the killing of an Alberta county worker.

Mounties say 28-year-old Elijah Strawberry was taken into custody Friday at a house on O’Chiese First Nation.

Colin Hough, a worker with Rocky View County, was shot and killed while on the job on a rural road east of Calgary on Aug. 6.

Another man who worked for Fortis Alberta was shot and wounded, and RCMP said the suspects fled in a Rocky View County work truck.

Police later arrested Arthur Wayne Penner, 35, and charged him with first-degree murder and attempted murder, and a warrant was issued for Strawberry’s arrest.

RCMP also said there was a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Strawberry, describing him as armed and dangerous.

Chief Supt. Roberta McKale, told a news conference in Edmonton that officers had received tips and information over the last few weeks.

“I don’t know of many members that when were stopped, fuelling up our vehicles, we weren’t keeping an eye out, looking for him,” she said.

But officers had been investigating other cases when they found Strawberry.

“Our investigators were in O’Chiese First Nation at a residence on another matter and the major crimes unit was there working another file and ended up locating him hiding in the residence,” McKale said.

While an investigation is still underway, RCMP say they’re confident both suspects in the case are in police custody.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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26-year-old son is accused of his father’s murder on B.C.’s Sunshine Coast

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RICHMOND, B.C. – The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team says the 26-year-old son of a man found dead on British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast has been charged with his murder.

Police say 58-year-old Henry Doyle was found badly injured on a forest service road in Egmont last September and died of his injuries.

The homicide team took over when the BC Coroners Service said the man’s death was suspicious.

It says in a statement that the BC Prosecution Service has approved one count of first-degree murder against the man’s son, Jackson Doyle.

Police say the accused will remain in custody until at least his next court appearance.

The homicide team says investigators remained committed to solving the case with the help of the community of Egmont, the RCMP on the Sunshine Coast and in Richmond, and the Vancouver Police Department.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.



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Metro Vancouver’s HandyDART strike continues after talks break with no deal

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VANCOUVER – Mediated talks between the union representing HandyDART workers in Metro Vancouver and its employer, Transdev, have broken off without an agreement following 15 hours of talks.

Joe McCann, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1724, says they stayed at the bargaining table with help from a mediator until 2 a.m. Friday and made “some progress.”

However, he says the union negotiators didn’t get an offer that they could recommend to the membership.

McCann says that in some ways they are close to an agreement, but in other areas they are “miles apart.”

About 600 employees of the door-to-door transit service for people who can’t navigate the conventional transit system have been on strike since last week, pausing service for all but essential medical trips.

McCann asks HandyDART users to be “patient,” since they are trying to get not only a fair contract for workers but also a better service for customers.

He says it’s unclear when the talks will resume, but he hopes next week at the latest.

The employer, Transdev, didn’t reply to an interview request before publication.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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