As a growing number of premiers urge the federal government to scrap an upcoming increase to the federal carbon tax, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pushed back on what he called “short-term thinker” politicians and defended his government’s deeply divisive policy.
“My job is not to be popular, although it helps,” Trudeau said with a smile during a news conference in Calgary Wednesday.
“My job is to do the right things for Canada now, and do the right things for Canadians a generation from now.”
His visit to Alberta to meet with Premier Danielle Smith, one of the most aggressive opponents of the federal carbon pricing program, comes as most premiers have called on the government to either scrap the program or pause the increase scheduled for April 1 until inflation mellows.
He’s also facing attacks from Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, who said he’ll force multiple votes in Parliament next week to stop what he’s calling “Trudeau’s April Fools’ tax hike.”
“Trudeau is facing a provincial revolt,” he said in a statement Wednesday. “But Trudeau isn’t listening.”
Trudeau showed no signs of bowing to pressure from the premiers or Poilievre.
“That’s an easy thing for short-term thinker politicians to say, ‘Oh, we’ll get rid of the price.’ They don’t talk about the fact that they’re also going to get rid of that cheque, the Canada carbon rebate, that puts more money in the pockets of the vast majority of Canadians,” he said.
Trudeau defends carbon tax as premiers call for halt to increase
Speaking in Calgary, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said “short-term thinker politicians” are the ones rallying against the Liberal government’s price on pollution.
At the beginning of next month, the carbon price is scheduled to increase from $65 to $80 per tonne.
The federal policy — which includes both a tax on fossil fuels and rebates paid directly to households — was introduced by the Liberal government in 2019 and is designed as a financial incentive to encourage people and businesses to cut their consumption of fossil fuels and transition to greener forms of energy.
Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre Conservative has railed against the carbon levy (Christinne Muschi/Canadian Press)
Canadians living in the eight provinces with the federal carbon tax receive quarterly rebate payments which vary depending on the province and the size of household.
“Those are cheques that the conservative governments and Conservative Party want to take away from people,” said Trudeau.
“It’s a way of both fighting climate change, of pushing for innovation and better technologies, and putting more money in the pockets of Canadians right across the country.”
N.L. premier writes to Trudeau
On Tuesday, Liberal Newfoundland Premier Andrew Furey shared an open letter to the prime minister saying that while his government is “deeply invested in environmental sustainability,” the scheduled increase will add to residents’ financial burdens.
Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston also wrote to Trudeau urging him “cancel the carbon tax before any more financial damage is done.”
British Columbia, Quebec and the Northwest Territories follow their own carbon-pricing mechanisms that meet federal standards and are exempt from the federal program.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau meets with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith in Calgary on Wednesday, March 13, 2024. (Todd Korol/The Canadian Press)
Earlier Wednesday, Smith and Trudeau shook hands for the cameras ahead of a meeting. While Smith thanked the federal government for pushing through the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion, she said Alberta and Ottawa still have major disagreements.
“An area where we don’t quite see eye-to-eye [is] the carbon tax,” said Smith.
“Seven premiers have suggested that we need a pause on April 1, so I’m very hopeful that we can maybe come to some solution on that [and] address issues of affordability.”
The government has made a concession on its program already. Facing pressure from within caucus from Atlantic MPs in the fall, Trudeau announced his government will exempt home heating oil from the tax for three years.
Trudeau said the pause is meant to give rural Canadians more time to switch to alternative sources like electric heat pumps, but ruled out any other exemptions.
“There will absolutely not be any other carve-outs or suspensions of the price on pollution,” said Trudeau in October.
At Issue this week: Saskatchewan is holding back its share of the carbon tax, so how will the federal government ensure other provinces pay up? The Conservatives want more transparency surrounding the Winnipeg lab leaks that got two Chinese scientists fired. Plus, does the pharmacare legislation live up to the promises?
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said his government would not submit the money it owed for the carbon price on natural gas. He has framed the measure as a protest against Ottawa’s decision to exempt heating oil from the levy but not the energy source used by most households in his province.
Failing to submit carbon tax reports or pay the amounts owed could come with consequences, including fines and jail time.
“You can opt out of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms by using the notwithstanding clause but you can’t opt out of the federation. You can’t opt out of Canada,” said Trudeau.
“We are a country of laws, we are a country of rules, of responsibilities … and we expect people to obey the law.”
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‘You can’t opt out of Canada,’ PM says to government of Saskatchewan
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Duration 1:03
When asked in Calgary about Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe’s threat to disobey the federal carbon pricing law, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said provinces can opt to use the notwithstanding clause when they wish, but they “can’t opt out of Canada.”
Quebec legislature member Youri Chassin has announced he’s leaving the Coalition Avenir Québec government to sit as an Independent.
He announced the decision shortly after writing an open letter criticizing Premier François Legault’s government for abandoning its principles of smaller government.
In the letter published in Le Journal de Montréal and Le Journal de Québec, Chassin accused the party of falling back on what he called the old formula of throwing money at problems instead of looking to do things differently.
Chassin says public services are more fragile than ever, despite rising spending that pushed the province to a record $11-billion deficit projected in the last budget.
He is the second CAQ member to leave the party in a little more than one week, after economy and energy minister Pierre Fitzgibbon announced Sept. 4 he would leave because he lost motivation to do his job.
Chassin says he has no intention of joining another party and will instead sit as an Independent until the end of his term.
He has represented the Saint-Jérôme riding since the CAQ rose to power in 2018, but has not served in cabinet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
MONTREAL – NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says he will not be taking advice from Pierre Poilievre after the Conservative leader challenged him to bring down government.
“I say directly to Pierre Poilievre: I’m not going to listen to you,” said Singh on Wednesday, accusing Poilievre of wanting to take away dental-care coverage from Canadians, among other things.
“I’m not going to listen to your advice. You want to destroy people’s lives, I want to build up a brighter future.”
Earlier in the day, Poilievre challenged Singh to commit to voting non-confidence in the government, saying his party will force a vote in the House of Commons “at the earliest possibly opportunity.”
“I’m asking Jagmeet Singh and the NDP to commit unequivocally before Monday’s byelections: will they vote non-confidence to bring down the costly coalition and trigger a carbon tax election, or will Jagmeet Singh sell out Canadians again?” Poilievre said.
“It’s put up or shut up time for the NDP.”
While Singh rejected the idea he would ever listen to Poilievre, he did not say how the NDP would vote on a non-confidence motion.
“I’ve said on any vote, we’re going to look at the vote and we’ll make our decision. I’m not going to say our decision ahead of time,” he said.
Singh’s top adviser said on Tuesday the NDP leader is not particularly eager to trigger an election, even as the Conservatives challenge him to do just that.
Anne McGrath, Singh’s principal secretary, says there will be more volatility in Parliament and the odds of an early election have risen.
“I don’t think he is anxious to launch one, or chomping at the bit to have one, but it can happen,” she said in an interview.
New Democrat MPs are in a second day of meetings in Montreal as they nail down a plan for how to navigate the minority Parliament this fall.
The caucus retreat comes one week after Singh announced the party has left the supply-and-confidence agreement with the governing Liberals.
It’s also taking place in the very city where New Democrats are hoping to pick up a seat on Monday, when voters go to the polls in Montreal’s LaSalle—Émard—Verdun. A second byelection is being held that day in the Winnipeg riding of Elmwood—Transcona, where the NDP is hoping to hold onto a seat the Conservatives are also vying for.
While New Democrats are seeking to distance themselves from the Liberals, they don’t appear ready to trigger a general election.
Singh signalled on Tuesday that he will have more to say Wednesday about the party’s strategy for the upcoming sitting.
He is hoping to convince Canadians that his party can defeat the federal Conservatives, who have been riding high in the polls over the last year.
Singh has attacked Poilievre as someone who would bring back Harper-style cuts to programs that Canadians rely on, including the national dental-care program that was part of the supply-and-confidence agreement.
The Canadian Press has asked Poilievre’s office whether the Conservative leader intends to keep the program in place, if he forms government after the next election.
With the return of Parliament just days away, the NDP is also keeping in mind how other parties will look to capitalize on the new makeup of the House of Commons.
The Bloc Québécois has already indicated that it’s written up a list of demands for the Liberals in exchange for support on votes.
The next federal election must take place by October 2025 at the latest.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 11, 2024.
Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante is defending her decision to turn off comments on her social media accounts — with an announcement on social media.
She posted screenshots to X this morning of vulgar names she’s been called on the platform, and says comments on her posts for months have been dominated by insults, to the point that she decided to block them.
Montreal’s Opposition leader and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association have criticized Plante for limiting freedom of expression by restricting comments on her X and Instagram accounts.
They say elected officials who use social media should be willing to hear from constituents on those platforms.
However, Plante says some people may believe there is a fundamental right to call someone offensive names and to normalize violence online, but she disagrees.
Her statement on X is closed to comments.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 11, 2024.
