Battlefords MLA Herb Cox has slammed the federal government for their carbon pricing plans.
Speaking to the News-OptimistTuesday, Cox reiterated his opposition to a national carbon tax and support for the government’s approach to the emissions issue.
“We’ve been very clear all along that a carbon tax is the wrong approach,” Cox said.
He pointed to the carbon capture work at Boundary Dam 3 and said that was a better route to take.
“Saskatchewan has been a world leader in carbon capture and storage. We strongly believe that’s a better approach to take to combat the effects of greenhouse gases right now.”
Cox also echoed a familiar theme heard from Premier Brad Wall in recent days — that a carbon tax would kill Saskatchewan jobs.
Wall has slammed federal claims a carbon tax would be “revenue neutral,” countering it would not be “sector-neutral” or “jobs-neutral.”
“You consider Saskatchewan is an exporting province,” said Cox, “and it’s not sector neutral. It’s going to be a huge cost factor for agriculture, not only for primary producers, but for value-added agriculture. The report that’s come out from the canola crushing industry, it’s going to be a huge cost for them. And that’s going to cost us more jobs.”
Cox adds, “It’s not revenue-neutral if somebody doesn’t have a job anymore. We’re not going to collect income tax from people who aren’t working, obviously.”
Cox also pointed to the impact on the oil and gas sector. He raised the spectre of the oil industry opting to drill in North Dakota instead of on the Canadian side, where they “aren’t going to have a $50 per ton carbon tax”.
“It’s going to cost us more jobs in the oi lpatch, and we can ill afford that right now, as you know, with the slowdown in the oil industry,” Cox said.
The Wall government has gone after both the federal Liberals and provincial New Democrats for their positions on the carbon tax issue in recent days.
The Sask. Party caucus sent out a news release last week after a vote in the legislature on their motion on the issue. In it, they slammed the NDP for failing to join them in opposition to the national carbon tax.
“The Saskatchewan Party government sent a clear message to Ottawa and unanimously voted to oppose Justin Trudeau’s unilaterally imposed carbon tax that will unfairly hurt Saskatchewan families, farmers and vital economic sectors,” the release stated. “NDP MLAs failed to stand up for Saskatchewan by voting against the motion, effectively supporting the Trudeau carbon tax.”
Earlier, the NDP caucus issued a news release that accused the government of inaction on the issue.
“We don’t want a climate change plan imposed on Saskatchewan people by Ottawa, but the Sask. Party’s solution of doing nothing but complain is putting Saskatchewan people at risk of having that happen,” Opposition Leader Trent Wotherspoon said in that news release.
“Other provinces are working constructively to find solutions that work best for their provinces, but the Sask. Party has thrown away Saskatchewan’s voice and given up their own ability to negotiate a solution with the federal government that works with the people of Saskatchewan.”
The NDP’s amendment, which included provisions calling for implementation of The Management and Reduction of Greenhouse Gases Act, as well as condemning Premier Wall “for his failure to address climate change after nearly a decade in power,” was defeated by a 47-8 vote last Tuesday.
The main motion supporting Saskatchewan’s position on climate change and opposing the national carbon tax then passed by a 48-8 vote. Both votes were along party lines.
The Battlefords MLA expressed disappointment with the NDP’s decision to propose an amendment, instead of joining with the government on the carbon tax issue.
“The motion was well worded and well intended to get the message to Ottawa, and we’re going to continue taking that message to Ottawa.”
There was also disappointment expressed with the handling of the issue by the federal government.
Cox indicated he had been under the impression the provinces were going to be involved in coming up with a solution. He noted he had a one-on-one meeting with the federal environment minister last December (when he was environment minister) and several teleconferences, as well as a federal-provincial-territorial meeting on the subject.
“At all those meetings, we were all assured we were going to continue to work to find solutions,” Cox said.
Cox was particularly unhappy with how the decision came down. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made the carbon-pricing announcement while other environment ministers, including Scott Moe, MLA for Rosthern-Shellbrook, were meeting in climate talks.
The announcement from Trudeau prompted Moe and his ministerial counterparts from Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador, to walk out of that meeting Oct. 3.
“The timing of it was terrible,” Cox said of Trudeau’s announcement.
“Why did all the environment ministers go to all the work trying to find solutions? And (Trudeau) unilaterally passes that. To me that was unacceptable, absolutely.”
Cox said a letter has been sent by Wall to federal minister Ralph Goodale on the issue, and he said the government will continue on that path.
“We’ve had a lot of petitions presented to us from across the province,” Cox said, referring to opposition to Ottawa’s carbon pricing plans. “We’re going to continue with whatever avenues are most effective to try and prevent this.”
