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United premiers want carbon pricing measures to be fair to all Canadians

Trudeau criticized for carbon price freeze on home heating oil being aimed at Atlantic Canada
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Canada害羞草研究所檚 premiers presented a rare unified front Monday as they took turns saying Ottawa害羞草研究所檚 recent changes to its carbon pricing measures were unfairly applied across the country.

They released a statement after a meeting in Halifax, calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to ensure federal policies, such as carbon pricing, are delivered in an equitable way, 害羞草研究所減articularly in light of the affordability challenges being faced across the country.害羞草研究所

Though Quebec Premier Fran莽ois Legault did not attend the meeting, he was represented by the province害羞草研究所檚 minister responsible for Canadian relations, Jean-Fran莽ois Roberge.

Last week, Trudeau announced his government would pause for three years the carbon price on home heating oil to make it easier for users of that particularly expensive form of fuel to switch to electric heat pumps.

When Trudeau made the announcement, he said the measure would be welcomed in Atlantic Canada, where a disproportionately large number of homes and businesses use heating oil in the colder months. At the time, he was flanked by MPs from the region.

But the move immediately drew criticism from premiers in Western Canada, where most residents use natural gas to heat their homes and businesses.

On Monday, the premiers rallied around the idea that Ottawa害羞草研究所檚 move treated Canadians differently at a time when the entire country is struggling with an affordability crisis.

Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew said carbon pricing is 害羞草研究所渘ot a silver bullet when it comes to climate change,害羞草研究所 and he stressed that the pause for heating oil users should be extended to other fuels to make life more affordable for more Canadians.

害羞草研究所淒uring this inflationary moment right now, people are suffering,害羞草研究所 said Kinew, whose NDP government was elected in Manitoba just over a month ago.

害羞草研究所淭he temperatures are getting colder 害羞草研究所 We do think there should be similar consideration given to the people of Manitoba to get us through this period of economic pain.害羞草研究所

In Ottawa, federal Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc said the federal government would 害羞草研究所渃ontinue to apply programs in an equitable way across the country,害羞草研究所 but he said nothing about changing the carbon pricing program.

When asked about the premiers害羞草研究所 statement, LeBlanc pivoted to talk about heat pumps.

害羞草研究所淲e are anxious to work with all provinces to enlarge the federal program to give access to families to heat pumps that will help them reduce their heating costs,害羞草研究所 he said. 害羞草研究所淎s intergovernmental affairs minister, I am happy and ready to enlarge accessibility to all Canadians to this important program.害羞草研究所

In Halifax, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said the carbon pricing program was unfair to the 85 per cent of Saskatchewan residents who use natural gas. 害羞草研究所淭hey deserve to be treated fairly with respect to the carbon tax policy,害羞草研究所 he said. 害羞草研究所淭he issue isn害羞草研究所檛 the policy. The issue is how the policy is being applied.害羞草研究所

Moe repeated his recent pledge to direct Saskatchewan害羞草研究所檚 Crown-owned natural gas supplier to stop collecting the federal carbon tax in the new year.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said natural gas should be treated like a cleaner fuel, especially when compared with coal, wood and dung.

害羞草研究所淲e should be exporting more of our cleaner fuel to reduce global emissions and not punishing our customers here at home,害羞草研究所 she said. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 not our customers害羞草研究所 fault that the alternatives are not available to them.害羞草研究所

Newfoundland and Labrador害羞草研究所檚 Liberal premier, Andrew Furey, drew attention to his province害羞草研究所檚 heavy reliance on heating oil, but he then added, 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 very sensitive to the current Canadian dynamic and not inflaming a unity issue.害羞草研究所

David Eby, British Columbia害羞草研究所檚 NDP premier, said the discussion on Monday was 害羞草研究所済rounded in our shared concerns around affordability 害羞草研究所 and fairness.害羞草研究所

Eby, however, made a point of highlighting the impact of climate change by drawing attention to the fact his province has spent $1 billion on fighting forest fires so far this year. Another $1 billion has been devoted to flood prevention. And he reminded the closing news conference that a 害羞草研究所渉eat dome害羞草研究所 had killed hundreds of people in the province in the summer of 2021, when temperatures soared over 40 C.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 just devastating in British Columbia, climate-change wise,害羞草研究所 he said. 害羞草研究所淔or us, the (provincial) carbon tax has been an effective mechanism to reduce carbon pollution since 2017, and our emissions have gone down despite a dramatic increase in population.害羞草研究所

New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs said the carbon pricing pause should be extended to all types of heating fuel and he repeated his opposition to carbon pricing in general.

Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston agreed. 害羞草研究所淭here are much more effective ways to protect the planet,害羞草研究所 he said. 害羞草研究所淚 think they should get rid of the carbon tax and move on to working with us on other initiatives.害羞草研究所

Meanwhile, the premiers also called on Trudeau to convene an in-person first ministers meeting, something that hasn害羞草研究所檛 happened since 2018 despite repeated requests from the provinces.

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