(Ottawa) Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre challenges Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to pause the carbon tax on all types of heating until the next federal election.
And these federal elections should be a referendum on the application of this tax, launched the Conservative leader in a fiery speech to his deputies.
Increasing the pressure on Justin Trudeau’s Liberals, Mr. Poilievre indicated that he will table a motion next Monday in the House of Commons precisely to suspend this tax. This motion will be debated and put to the vote, forcing the Liberals, who are in the minority in the Commons, to vote on this measure which has caused them to lose ground in the polls in recent months.
This approach by the Conservative leader will also force the NDP, which must ensure the survival of the Liberals in the Commons until June 2025 under an agreement reached last year, to take a position.
“Let’s make a deal.” Let’s pause the carbon tax on all types of heating until Canadians go to the polls to have a carbon tax election. Canadians will then be able to decide between his plan to quadruple this tax and my common sense plan to abolish this tax and reduce prices. It will be an election on the carbon tax,” he said to the applause of his troops.
Faced with discontent among residents of the Atlantic provinces, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced last week the temporary suspension of the carbon tax for the delivery of fuel oil until the end of 2026-2027 and the 50% increase in the subsidy to replace this fuel with a heat pump.
PHOTO ADRIAN WYLD, THE CANADIAN PRESS
Justin Trudeau
The government will also offer $250 to low-income people to encourage them to purchase a heat pump.
These policies apply to the entire country, but will benefit more residents of the Atlantic provinces, where nearly 30% of households heat with oil. It’s 8% in the rest of the country, according to the Ministry of Finance.
These double standards shocked the Western Canadian provinces, particularly in Alberta and Saskatchewan where the governments are already opposed to the carbon tax. Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe is threatening to no longer collect the carbon tax on natural gas if a similar exemption is not granted for this fuel.
On Wednesday, Manitoba’s new NDP government also demanded an exemption. Manitoba’s new Finance Minister, Adrien Sala, said there is a need to ensure “greater fairness” in the application of the federal carbon tax.
Conservatives and New Democrats have accused the government of dividing Canadians by providing an exemption from the carbon tax that favors residents of the four Atlantic provinces where nearly a third of the population heats with oil in winter. .
On Tuesday, Justin Trudeau said the federal government will not grant any further exemptions from the carbon tax, as required by Alberta and Saskatchewan. Prime Minister Trudeau continued to defend the suspension of this tax for fuel oil deliveries on Tuesday, while the Conservatives are making it the issue of the next election.
Asked about this on Wednesday, before the Liberal caucus meeting, Mr. Trudeau appeared unimpressed by the challenge launched by the Conservative leader. He also once again defended his decision to grant an exemption to residents who must heat their homes with oil.
“Heat oil costs more than other forms of heating, and oil is used disproportionately by low-income Canadians in rural areas of the country who need more support. This is what we are doing and it is absolutely something I will continue to advocate unequivocally, while Mr. Poilievre has no plan to combat climate change and, therefore, no plan for the economy “, did he declare.