Carbon pricing will benefit province, Goodale says
Minister tells city business audience the revenue could be invested in the economy
Speaking to the Canadian Club of Regina on Thursday, Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale did not hesitate in giving his opinion of what carbon pricing could bring to Saskatchewan residents, including lower taxes, greater innovation and more money for those who need it.
“All revenue from carbon pricing must remain in Saskatchewan. With the system designed and controlled by the province, what would that new revenue empower Saskatchewan to do?” he said. “(The province) could provide assistance to people and sectors of the economy that need some special help. It may invest in more science and technology, in education, health care or infrastructure.”
Calling climate change a serious problem, Goodale said Saskatchewan was not immune from its impact.
“Climate change is real. It has done damage already, including here in Saskatchewan,” Goodale said.
“It will do much more unless we are serious about addressing it. There’s never a good time to do so, but time is running short. Further delay will make the solution more difficult.”
Mentioning Saskatchewan, along with Manitoba, as the only two provinces not to support the national policy framework on climate change, Goodale told Canadian Club members over lunch that it was not impossible to have both a strong economy and a healthy environment.
“Canadians do want a strong economy and a healthy environment. Some say that is impossible, that you can’t have both, but most Canadians disagree,” he said. “In fact, in this day and age, effective economic policy and credible environmental policy go hand-inhand.”
In order to approve pipelines in the country and open up offshore markets to Canadian energy, Goodale said it comes down to being credible about environmental solutions.
“We establish our credibility by proving to our customers, our critics, and ourselves, and those who challenge us in court, that our development is responsible and sustainable with declining emissions,” he said. “The single most credible step is putting a price on carbon pollution. That is the key that unlocks the door.”
Goodale told the audience the type of carbon pricing used is chosen by the province, to best suit the needs of the province. British Columbia chose a carbon tax, while Ontario and Quebec use a cap-andtrade system.
“When (British Columbia) started they were all alone when it was implemented nine years ago,” Goodale said. “Today, British Columbia has the strongest economy in the country. Carbon pricing has not rendered them a basket-case, nor has it destroyed their competitiveness.”
In order to begin moving forward, Goodale asked the audience to look at what could come now, and in the future, from a change like carbon pricing.
“The only hurdle to overcome is the assumption that the status quo is as good as it gets and nothing better is possible,” Goodale said. “We need to talk about the possibilities.”