Sask. court allows all applicants to intervene in carbon tax case

REGINA — Saskatchewan’s Court of Appeal is allowing all applicants to intervene in an upcoming case between the province and Ottawa over a federally imposed carbon tax.

The federal government, arguing the party’s interest in the case is political and speculative, had opposed a request by Alberta’s United Conservative Party to be an intervener on the side of Saskatchewan.

The court ruled Monday it will hear from Alberta’s official Opposition.

“The submissions of all interveners must be limited to the legal issue before the court,” reads a written judgment by the five-justice panel.

Saskatchewan has asked the court to rule on whether the federal government’s plan to impose a carbon tax on the province is constitutional. The province believes its own climate change plan, which doesn’t include a carbon tax, is enough to reduce emissions.

Ottawa has given the provinces until January to come up with their own carbon price or have one imposed on them. The carbon price outlined by Ottawa starts at a minimum of $20 a tonne and rises $10 annually until 2022.

In a statement, the federal government said it respects the court’s ruling on interveners.

“We believe this court case must be based on science and evidence,” said Sabrina Kim, a spokeswoman with federal Environment Minister Catherine McKenna’s office.

“Canada has the right to put a price on pollution to tackle climate change, and we are confident in our legal jurisdiction to do so.”

Saskatchewan supported the United Conservative application. It also supported the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, SaskPower and SaskEnergy.