Moe calls on Trudeau to convene meeting of premiers after carbon tax hike

Saskatchewan’s premier says it’s time for Justin Trudeau to listen to the Canadians who oppose his carbon tax.

Scott Moe sent a letter to the prime minister on Friday, calling for Trudeau to convene a First Ministers’ meeting after the federal carbon tax increase took effect on Monday.

Moe said his request followed similar letters sent by Alberta’s Danielle Smith, New Brunswick’s Blaine Higgs, and Newfoundland and Labrador’s Andrew Furey. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre also called on Trudeau to sit down with premiers and discuss the tax earlier this week.

“The Carbon Tax is unaffordable, unfair and ineffective,” Moe wrote.

“In the interest of fairness for all Canadians, I echo Premier Furey’s, Premier Higgs’ and Premier Smith’s letters asking you to convene a First Ministers’ Meeting to discuss the Federal Carbon Tax. Canadians expect us to work together, and it is time for you to come to the table.”

Today, I joined Premiers Furey, Higgs and Smith in calling on Prime Minister Trudeau to convene a First Ministers’ meeting on the carbon tax.  

It’s time for leaders to listen to the overwhelming majority of Canadians who oppose the carbon tax and the way it is increasing the… pic.twitter.com/Q7e626r5PL

— Scott Moe (@PremierScottMoe) April 5, 2024

The federal carbon tax was increased by $15 per tonne Monday, adding 3.3 cents to the cost of each litre of gasoline and 4.01 cents to the cost of a litre of diesel fuel.

The tax also adds indirect costs to food, clothing and other goods as suppliers pass on the carbon taxes incurred in manufacturing and transportation to consumers. Statistics Canada estimated that Canada’s carbon tax has increased the price of food by about 0.3 per cent and the price of clothes by two per cent since it was first imposed.

The federal government, on the other hand, argues that eight out of 10 families receive more in carbon rebates than they pay in the tax.

“Addressing climate change is a priority for Saskatchewan,” Moe noted in his letter, “but the ideological one-size-fits-all federal approach is ineffective and does not take into account unique regional economies.”

Saskatchewan’s provincial government has been staunchly opposed to the carbon tax since it was first announced, unsuccessfully taking a legal challenge against it all the way to Canada’s Supreme Court.

More recently, Moe’s government made the decision to stop collecting and remitting carbon tax collected on home heating to Ottawa in response to an exemption on the carbon tax on home heating oil which primarily benefits those living in Atlantic Canada.

The exemption prompted calls of unfairness from Moe and other premiers, and the provincial government has stuck to its decision despite admitting that it breaks federal law.

On Monday, Trudeau said the seven provincial premiers who have vocally opposed the tax haven’t yet provided detailed plans on how they would reduce emissions.

— With files from The Canadian Press