TRUDEAU VISITS MOE
Friendly meeting but no shift on carbon tax
The provincial and federal governments remain at odds when it comes to a carbon tax.
That was made apparent as new Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe met for the first time with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday afternoon at the legislative building in Regina.
“The issues around climate change and the issue of carbon pricing are not yet resolved,” Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale told reporters after the meeting.
However, said Moe, “I think the entire conversation was a constructive conversation. And the fact that the conversation is happening I think is necessary.”
Goodale agreed: “It was a very constructive tone, where people were more interested in finding solutions than not finding solutions.”
The federal Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change was a focus, as Saskatchewan remains the only province to not sign on to the plan, objecting to a carbon tax.
Moe pointed out the Saskatchewan government has its own plan for reducing carbon emissions, the Prairie Resilience plan, announced in December.
A carbon tax is “not something that we intend on putting on the industries and the people and the families in the province of Saskatchewan,” said Moe, “so we weren’t able to sign that agreement. That in no way says that we aren’t quickly and adeptly looking forward to taking part in the conversation around what we’re doing here … sustainably.”
Goodale said “hope springs eternal” that the province will change its mind.
“The federal position offers a huge amount of potential that can be put to work to the advantage of Saskatchewan,” said Goodale.
He suggested that revenue from a carbon tax could permanently reduce property taxes on farmland, which would be a “popular gesture in rural Saskatchewan.”
Further, he said, “Most farmers are practising zero-till and have for a long time, and are thereby creating a significant amount of carbon-sink capacity simply by the way they farm their land. … You could reward that.”
Saskatchewan could also reduce the provincial sales tax or cut royalties with revenue from a carbon tax. “I hope we can continue to have a constructive dialogue with a lot of ‘what ifs’ … and maybe you can put together a package here that in fact meets the federal requirements,” said Goodale.
The two parties also discussed trade agreements, steel and aluminum tariffs, rail and pipeline access to distribute Saskatchewan’s agricultural and oil exports, and infrastructure funding specific to transit.
Moe suggested Saskatchewan might benefit from the latter through investments in northern airports.
Moe said he will work to “progress Saskatchewan’s interests.”
“When you look at our nation from coast to coast to coast, we are diverse and we have very different industries that operate in our jurisdictions,” said Moe.
“I think it’s fair to say that we’re different than Atlantic Canada, we’re different than Central Canada and different than Western Canada. At times that’s our strength, but at times it also provides us with what can be very challenging discussions.
“But I don’t think it precludes the fact that we shouldn’t always have those discussions, because we’re stronger together as a nation.”