Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is calling on premiers opposed to increasing the carbon tax to propose credible alternatives to the federal measure.
On Tuesday, Trudeau wrote to seven premiers who have been calling on Ottawa to pause an imminent hike to the federal levy or scrap the program altogether.
In his letter, the prime minister suggested that the governments of New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Ontario, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador haven’t put forward suitable replacements to the federal backstop.
“When we last engaged with provinces and territories on this in 2022, all of your governments either did not propose alternative systems or … proposed systems that did not meet the minimum standard for emissions reductions,” the letter reads.
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. It’s designed as a financial incentive to encourage people and businesses to cut their consumption of fossil fuels and transition to greener forms of energy.
Canadians living in the eight provinces where the federal carbon tax applies receive quarterly rebate payments which vary depending on the province and the size of household.
In his letter, Trudeau pointed out that Quebec, British Columbia and the Northwest Territories all have their own systems and are not subject to the federal tax.
“We continue to remain open to proposals for credible systems that price pollution that reflect the unique realities of your regions and meet the national benchmark,” he wrote.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has has made the federal carbon tax a key point of attack against the governing Liberals. (Travis Golby/CBC)
The carbon price is scheduled to increase from $65 to $80 per tonne on Monday.
Four premiers — including Danielle Smith of Alberta, Saskatchewan’s Scott Moe, Nova Scotia’s Tim Houston and Blaine Higgs from New Brunswick — have written to the House of Commons finance committee asking to appear and speak about the carbon tax. Moe is set to appear before the committee on Wednesday.
Federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has vowed to scrap the tax if he forms a government after the next election.
The Conservatives released a statement Tuesday supporting the idea of premiers appearing at committee.
“Conservatives believe that Parliament has a duty to listen to Canadians on matters of national importance,” the statement said.
Poilievre has also been ramping up pressure on the government to stop what he calls the government’s “April Fools’ tax hike.”
The Conservatives put forward a non-confidence motion on the carbon tax in the House last week that, if passed, would have toppled the Liberal government and forced an election. The Liberals survived the vote with support from Bloc Québécois and NDP.
“There is plenty of discussion about carbon pricing in Canada today. Healthy public debate is good, but it should be based on sound evidence and facts,” the letter reads.
The economists argue that a carbon tax is the cheapest way to lower greenhouse gas emissions.
“Unfortunately, the most vocal opponents of carbon pricing are not offering alternative policies to reduce emissions and meet our climate goals. And they certainly aren’t offering any alternatives that would reduce emissions at the same low cost as carbon pricing,” the letter says.
OTTAWA – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the NDP is caving to political pressure from Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre when it comes to their stance on the consumer carbon price.
Trudeau says he believes Jagmeet Singh and the NDP care about the environment, but it’s “increasingly obvious” that they have “no idea” what to do about climate change.
On Thursday, Singh said the NDP is working on a plan that wouldn’t put the burden of fighting climate change on the backs of workers, but wouldn’t say if that plan would include a consumer carbon price.
Singh’s noncommittal position comes as the NDP tries to frame itself as a credible alternative to the Conservatives in the next federal election.
Poilievre responded to that by releasing a video, pointing out that the NDP has voted time and again in favour of the Liberals’ carbon price.
British Columbia Premier David Eby also changed his tune on Thursday, promising that a re-elected NDP government would scrap the long-standing carbon tax and shift the burden to “big polluters,” if the federal government dropped its requirements.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
Simon Jolin-Barrette, minister responsible for consumer protection, has tabled a bill to force merchants to calculate tips based on the price before tax.
That means on a restaurant bill of $100, suggested tips would be calculated based on $100, not on $114.98 after provincial and federal sales taxes are added.
The bill would also increase the rebate offered to consumers when the price of an item at the cash register is higher than the shelf price, to $15 from $10.
And it would force grocery stores offering a discounted price for several items to clearly list the unit price as well.
Businesses would also have to indicate whether taxes will be added to the price of food products.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
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.
