Alberta files in carbon tax court case; Chicago principles deadline delayed

Alberta filed materials in court Friday to challenge the constitutionality of the federal carbon tax, said Justice Minister Doug Schweitzer.

“This factum provides our full legal argument and full fact scenario so our court of appeal can hear and make a decision based on the unique evidence we present,” he said in a statement.

Earlier this week, Schweitzer travelled to Saskatoon to meet with justice ministers from Saskatchewan, Ontario and New Brunswick as well as with legal counsel from Manitoba.

Legal teams are comparing notes on their court challenges, he said.

One of the UCP’S first moves after being elected April 16 included scrapping the provincial carbon tax brought in by the NDP.

Shortly after it was nixed, federal Environment Minister Catherine Mckenna said Ottawa would impose its carbon price starting Jan. 1, 2020.

Saskatchewan recently lost a court challenge against the carbon tax in a split decision. Premier Scott Moe vowed to take the battle to the Supreme Court of Canada.

Schweitzer, who called Ottawa’s plan “unprecedented federal interference,” said the factum filed Friday includes Alberta’s plan to regulate industrial emitters.

“Each of the provinces are unique with different economies, different demographics and different geographies, among other unique attributes,” he said.

CHICAGO PRINCIPLES DEADLINE DELAYED

Advanced Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides said the extended deadline for schools to implement the controversial Chicago principles is due to logistics, not pushback.

The province said earlier this week that post-secondary institutions have until Dec. 15 to roll out the principles, months later than the initial September deadline.

“A lot of the boards meet very infrequently,” Nicolaides said Friday during a radio interview with Danielle Smith, who hosts a radio program on 770 CHQR. “We recognize that dynamic and wanted to make sure they have enough time to actually have proper meetings.”

In May, the UCP announced its intention to follow in Ontario’s footsteps by introducing the principles, developed by the University of Chicago in 2014.

They allow speakers on campuses to share their views, no matter how “unwelcome, disagreeable, or even deeply offensive” they may be.

They have been criticized by academics as benefiting more extreme and conservative speakers.

Nicolaides has hailed the principles as the “gold standard.”

The NDP has continued to slam the principles, calling the government’s directive a “dangerous decree.”

TOP TRADE REPRESENTATIVE LEAVES WASHINGTON D.C.

Alberta’s senior trade representative to the United States has left Washington, D.C.

Gitane De Silva has been appointed a special adviser to Alberta Energy.

She declined to comment Friday on her new role.

De Silva was appointed by the NDP in January 2016.

She replaced Rob Merrifield, who was appointed by the former Progressive Conservative government. The NDP ended his contract three years early.