Equalization, carbon lead Moe’s agenda at meetings

When Premier Scott Moe meets with his provincial counterparts at meetings next week, equalization will be high on his priority list.

The Council of the Federation (COF) meetings start next week in New Brunswick.

Moe, who over the summer has continued to raise the issue of equalization, said he will look at discussions during COF as “opportunities we may have to raise that conversation in the months and years ahead” about the issue.

Last month, Moe put forward a Saskatchewan-made proposal that would keep 50 per cent of the current equalization pot the same as it is now, with the remainder of the funds being distributed to the provinces on a per-capita basis.

(The equalization formula determines how much provinces receive from a pool of federal transfer money meant to ensure Canadians have access to equal services, wherever they live.)

In the weeks leading up to that announcement, and in the weeks since, Moe has continued to raise the issue.

But the federal Liberal government quietly extended the formula in its current form for five years as part of a wide-ranging detailed budget bill — meaning it’s not up for review until 2024.

Despite this, Moe said he is anticipating changes to the formula in 2019 and has the support of a handful of other premiers in pushing for a more “fair and equitable” equalization formula. He wouldn’t say specifically which provinces are supportive of his proposal.

Beyond the issue of equalization, Moe said he will be taking part in conversations around competitiveness to ensure Saskatchewan industries continue to reach global markets in a sustainable fashion.

Part of that discussion, said Moe, will be talking about “uncompetitive policies put forward by our federal government, such as carbon taxation.”

Once the lone anti-carbon tax voice in the nation, Saskatchewan is now joined most notably by new Ontario Premier Doug Ford in the fight against pricing carbon.

His government’s inaugural speech from the throne on Thursday once again reaffirmed Ford’s commitment to scrap any form of a provincial carbon tax in Ontario.

It appears Prince Edward Island is also joining the anti-carbon tax crusade.

On Wednesday, that province’s environment minister announced its climate-change plan will not include a carbon tax.