Premier Scott Moe asks feds to 'pause' April 1 carbon tax increase
Moe addressed MPs during a House of Commons committee meeting, speaking out against the coming increase to the carbon tax.
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While addressing the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates (OGGO), Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe made a point to wear his red tie “in the spirit of collaboration.”
But the first 15 minutes of the federal committee’s sitting on Wednesday morning were characterized by back-and-forths over procedure and how the premier even came to address the House of Commons committee.
The adversarial tone carried through much of Moe’s testimony.
Liberal MP Irek Kusmierczyk raised issue off the top that the meeting had been without consultation, instruction or consent from the committee. He said the committee found out Moe was speaking at “7 last night” and noted that the lack of notice made it tougher for MPs “to get to the bottom of things” and do the work “Canadians expect of us.”
“Folks that are listening, I want them to know that this is a departure from the way we’ve conducted business at oval committee for five years,” said Kusmierczyk. “This is new.”
Moe spoke to the committee about the coming carbon tax hike, asking the feds to “pause the increase.” He has asked for the tax to be scrapped wholesale or for the April 1 deadline to be deferred in the interest of affordability amidst inflation.
Conservative MPs represented on OGGO spoke favourably of the Saskatchewan government and pushed back against criticisms of how the premier’s appearance was handled.
NDP MP Alexandre Boulerice said he was happy to speak with the premier “even though I still don’t really understand how it turned out that he’s appeared before this committee where they’re supposed to be turning our attention to other issues.”
The committee “studies the effectiveness and proper functioning of government operations on the estimates process as well as on the expenditure plans of central departments and agencies,” according to the government website.
Some members suggested the Standing Committee on Finance would have been the place for such discussion but OGGO Chair and Conservative MP Kelly McCauley invited Moe to speak.
During a line of questioning from Boulerice, the premier was asked about what he would do to protect people from climate change while making “the big polluters pay for what they are responsible for in terms of climate change.”
Moe said “the goal is not for big climate polluters to pay; the goal is for them to reduce their emissions because they’re employing people in your community and my community, with all due respect.”
To address greenhouse gas reductions and hit emissions targets, Moe pointed to nuclear energy, technology research funds, innovation and international trade of carbon credits.
In anticipation of the April 1 increase, the premiers of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador all asked Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to scrap the change.
The tax is set to increase from $65 to $80 a tonne and will see a gas price increase.
In a letter, Trudeau said the tax is not solely responsible for inflation, saying it accounts for “0.1 per cent” of annual inflation, citing the Bank of Canada.
“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,” wrote the prime minister.
Liberal MP Charles Sousa also asked if Saskatchewan had sought its own carbon pricing program to replace the federal one.
Moe said “yes” but “all of them were costly to our industry, as is the federal backstop that we’re experiencing now.”
Liberal MP Francis Drouin mentioned that, while there are discussions about affordability, “you also need to do something.” He said there has been no reduction to income tax or a removal of PST on items and added that, as the province fights the federal plan, he would like to see Saskatchewan come up with a plan.
“I’m pleading with you to come up with a regional plan,” said Drouin.
Sousa asked when Moe was contacted to appear before OGGO. The premier said he first requested to appear before the Finance Committee.
The House of Commons is on a two-week “constituency break” for Easter, which means committees aren’t sitting. That includes the Finance Committee, which is helmed by Liberal MP Peter Fonseca.
As OGGO’s chair, McCauley lamented Tuesday afternoon on social media that Fonseca had not reconvened the committee, extending an invitation to premiers to address the committee he chairs.
– with files from The Canadian Press
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