Moe, Ford meet to bash carbon tax, talk trade barriers

REGINA For the second time in a month, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe joined forces with Ontario Premier Doug Ford on Monday to criticize the federal government’s plan to impose a carbon tax.

This time it was Moe, who appeared with the Ontario premier in Saskatoon earlier this month, travelling to Toronto.

Saskatchewan did not release Monday the cost associated with Moe’s trip, which featured the two premiers announcing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) regarding internal trade, but spending the majority of their time in front of reporters once again critiquing the carbon tax.

Ford called the tax a “complete scam” and echoed Moe in accusing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of trying to “buy votes” by offering rebates to families paying the tax.

Saskatchewan NDP Leader Ryan Meili said Moe’s trip was a “strange thing to do” and said it “appeared to be another stunt” from Moe.

“I’m concerned the premier is not focusing on what is happening here,” he said, adding there is a pattern of pointing fingers to place blame and very little to show for it.

Moe and Ford’s criticism was not reserved for just the carbon tax.

In announcing the MOU, Moe and Ford vowed to take a leadership role when it comes to internal trade.

“We’re going to lead where Ottawa has totally failed,” said Ford, accusing the federal government of not taking enough action on the file.

“We have to start knocking down the regulations and barriers between the provinces.”

But representation from Ontario and Saskatchewan was notably absent from a meeting of trade ministers with federal Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic Leblanc. Every other province sent delegates.

Moe told reporters in Toronto, “My understanding was there were six provinces that were not present,” but according to a list of attendees provided by the federal government, only Ontario and Saskatchewan did not have representation.

Jeremy Harrison, Saskatchewan minister of Export and Trade Development, said the meeting, which took place last week in Vancouver, was an “ad hoc meeting ” called for “political” and “partisan” reasons because the federal government wants to deflect from provincial concerns over international competitiveness by turning the issue to one of internal trade.

“There was no point. There was nothing on the agenda; there were no decisions to be made,” he said, contending the federal government did not provide enough notice about the meeting and disputing the number of provinces with representation.

According to a source familiar with the situation, the federal government notified the province of the Oct. 25 meeting on Oct. 5. Harrison registered to attend the meeting on Oct. 18, but the Saskatchewan government pulled out on Oct. 23. Harrison said the two meetings between the Ontario and Saskatchewan premiers were for “completely different reasons.”