Trudeau's scheme to dismiss some carbon tax plans shows he wants a fight: Manitoba premier

Justin Trudeau's government is making its case for re-election by pitting itself against the provinces who oppose his carbon tax, Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister asserts.

Pallister is disgruntledhismade-in-Manitoba green plan got the thumbs-down when other climate plans hedeems insufficient, likeQuebec's and Newfoundland and Labrador's, were approved.

"The politics in this is evident," said Pallister.

"They believe they have a coalition of urban Ontario, Quebec east and B.C., and they think they can win the next election on that basis. I don't want to sound cynical, but I've seen this too many times from Liberal governments."

Pallister held court with media Wednesday afternoontodecry what he characterizes as thedivisive tactics of the federal government.

He said governments should be working together to fight climate change, not bickering over a "two-tiered carbon tax structure."

Manitoba being dismissed:Pallister

Pallister said Quebec's cap-and-trade program is much less stringent than theflat $25-per-tonne price he proposed beforehe withdrew the carbon tax amain tenant of his green plan because Ottawa wasn't satisfied.

He addedNewfoundland and Labrador is receiving concessions for its planbecause of its under-constructionMuskrat Falls hydroelectric project, but Manitoba isn't being recognized for the clean energy it produces.

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"They will not give usconsideration for either getting out of coal, which we've just done, or our hydroelectric investments, which we'rein the middle of investing," Pallister said.

"We're not getting credit for what we're really doing and Newfoundland is getting credit for something they may do. This doesnot make sense."

On Tuesday, the federal government followed through on its threat to slap acarbon tax on the provinces without an adequate emissions pricing plans of their own: Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Ontario, and New Brunswick.

'Lack of leadership on pricing pollution'

In a statement Wednesday,Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs DominicLeBlancsaid the federal government tried to give Manitoba the flexibility to come up with a plan.

"Earlier this month, Manitoba [cancelled] their own plan to price pollution. In making pollution free again, they joined the Harper-Scheer Conservatives who have no plan to fight climate change," LeBlancsaid.

"We are disappointed with the Manitoba government's lack of leadership on pricing pollution. As we've said all along, if provinces refuse to make polluters pay, we will and we'll give the money back to Canadians," he said.

"We know that making polluters pay is good for the economy and good for the environment, which means that it's good for the middle class."

To offset most of the added costs of the carbon tax, annual rebates will be sent to Canadian families.

In Manitoba, the average family willpay $233 more in 2019 as a result of the carbon tax,and get a $336 rebate in the first year of the plan. That's a net rebate of $104, based on average costs and rebates.

The $20-per-tonne carbon tax, along with the rebate to each Manitoban, will rise every year until the $50-per-tonne target is reached in 2022.

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Pallistersaid Wednesday his government would decide within a couple weeks whether it will proceed with a legal challenge. The province may strike out on its own, rather thanintervene in the case pursued by Ontario and Saskatchewan, he said.

Propensity to quit

It is Pallister, not Trudeau, who should be blamed for making politically motivated decisions,Manitoba Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont said.

"Heshouldn't be talking about suing people. He should be at the table trying to negotiate something, but that's not what happened he walked away."

NDPLeader Wab Kinewsaid the carbon agreements Trudeau reachedwith other provinces shows a desireto negotiate.

"It sounds like the premier gave up too easily," he said.

Pallister said he has not had formal discussions with Ottawa on the carbon taxsince Manitoba's surprise decision earlier this month to scrap his plan. He said discussions between thegovernments in recent weeks have centred on assurances Ottawa would still give Manitoba $67 million to helpreduce carbon emissions, as previously announced.

The $20-per-tonne carbon tax will result in an approximate cost increase of 4.42 cents a litrefor gasoline, 3.91 cents per cubic metre for natural gas and 3.10 centsa litrefor propane, according to the federal government.

"What Ottawa is proposing to do, as I understand it, is kick it back on a per capita basis and that isn't a plan."

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