Ottawa should rethink carbon pricing plan: Saskatchewan premier
With the September deadline for provinces to tell the federal government about their plans for a price on carbon pollution nearing, Saskatchewan premier Scott Moe says it's Ottawa that should take a look at its plan, not the provinces.
Moe and his government have been strongly opposed to the federal Liberals' proposed carbon pricing plan and are currently engaged in a court reference question to determine whether or not the federal government has the jurisdiction to impose a carbon tax on provinces.
This week, new Ontario Premier Doug Ford joined the fight and agreed to back Saskatchewan's reference question.
Ford said they were on "the exact same page," vowing to "use every tool at our disposal" and rally opposition to carbon pricing among their provincial and territorial colleagues. The two premiers tried recruiting other counterparts to their cause at the premiers meeting in New Brunswick.
"It would do the federal government well to re-engage on this conversation," Moe told The House, adding if Ottawa fails to take a step back and look at some of the alternative plans provinces have put forward there could be a showdown on the horizon.
Federal Environment Minister Catherine McKenna has long stood by her government's deadline: provinces have until September to show their work, or Ottawa will step in when 2019 rolls around.
Ottawa has set a starting price of $10 per tonne on carbon dioxide emissions, increasing to $50 per tonne by 2022.
However, the majority of provinces either don't have an approved carbon price plan in place or haven't put one on the table.
Moe said imposing carbon reduction measures from the national level can't work in Canada, because each of the provincial economies and needs are so unique.
Saskatchewan remains committed to lowering emissions, he said, but a nationally imposed plan won't be coming to his province if he succeeds in court.