Federal ministers flock to province on heels of carbon tax controversy
REGINA Four Liberal cabinet ministers visited Regina on Friday, shortly after the federal government announced a controversial carbon tax would be imposed on Saskatchewan.
It’s the largest gathering of federal ministers in the province in recent memory (with the exception of earlier this year when the entire Liberal caucus met in Saskatoon).
Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland was in town meeting with members of the agricultural and steel industries as well as speaking to a group brought together by the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce and Saskatchewan Trade and Export Partnership.
Joining her at the speaking event was Jim Carr, minister of international trade diversification. According to a news release accompanying his arrival, Carr was here to “highlight the evergrowing opportunities available to Canadian businesses abroad and promote Canada’s ambitious trade diversification strategy.”
At a downtown hotel, Amarjeet Sohi, minister of natural resources, announced $4.75 million in funding for SaskPower to modernize its electrical grid.
Accompanying each of them was Regina-Wascana MP and Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale, who was celebrating 25 years as an MP on Friday night.
Freeland, when asked about the number of ministers in Regina on a single day, said, “I’m here for Ralph. And I think that is why you are seeing a lot of us here.”
She then asked if she could “say something about Ralph for your readers” and jumped into a glowing endorsement of the longtime MP, calling him a “role model” and “mentor.
“Whatever party you support, I think we can all be united in agreeing Ralph is an exemplary public servant and has represented his constituents very well as well as the people of Saskatchewan,” she said. “I hope you guys will include a line like that. He deserves it.”
Asked if the carbon tax announcement — which will see the federal government impose a car- bon tax on natural gas and electricity production — and the number of federal ministers in town were connected, Carr said “no.”
“At least if they are, I don’t know about it. I’m here to meet with important business leaders to have this stimulating conversation with the business community in Regina and some other events during the day,” he said. “I know the other ministers are here for other reasons, but that doesn’t stop us from talking about whatever issues are on the minds of the people of Saskatchewan.”
Goodale, the lone Liberal MP from Saskatchewan, has been under heavy fire from the provincial government and political commentators. Polling suggests a carbon tax is wildly unpopular in the Prairie provinces.
However, he didn’t see the heightened criticism as anything out of the ordinary.
When asked about his feelings about the next general election, Goodale said, “I think of the last three or four elections and those same circumstances were applicable in every one of them. The same radio host was having the same hissy fits, the same — or the predecessor provincial governments — injected themselves into the campaign and the full range of federal candidates were running. So quite frankly the same contest will happen again.”