Conservative leadership candidate Jim Karahalios pledges to kill carbon tax, exit Paris deal

Conservative leadership candidate Jim Karahalios is pledging to pull out of the Paris climate deal, allow free votes on anti-abortion legislation and kill the carbon tax if he becomes prime minister.

Karahalios made the comments in an interview with CBC News Network's Power & Politicson Wednesday.

"We have to get Canada out of the Paris accord," he said.

"If you're for the Paris accord, you are in favour of carbon taxes, you are in favour of putting a price on carbon and that is an impact on Canadian sovereignty. That is going to drive jobs out of Canada," he told host Vassy Kapelos.

Karahalios said that instead of imposing a price on carbon, as prime minister he would encourage Canadians and direct the government "to adapt to protect our citizens" though he did not provide specifics of what adaptation means aside from ensuring Canadians do not live on flood plains.

"What is important is that we try to protect our citizens, not sugarcoat it and say we've signed the Paris accord so we've done our job on the environment," he said.

Karahalios is the husband of MPP Belinda Karahalios, who represents the Cambridge riding of for the Ontario Progressive Conservatives.

He has a testy relationship with the provincial party, having been sued by them for allegedly using a party mailing list to reach out to current and former members but the suit was tossed out.

He is also currently suing the party, claiming that officials rigged the election for party president, deliberately breaking their own rules to thwart his candidacy. His claims have not been tested in court.

Karahalios says he'soffering party members a true conservative leadership option as opposed to fellow hopefuls Erin O'Toole and Peter MacKay who he says are little more than "Red Tories."

"We need a fighter to take on Justin Trudeau and we need a blue conservative who's not part of the Red Tory establishment, who's not out of touch with conservative voters and voters in Canada," Karahalios said.

He said that unlike both MacKay and O'Toole he does not speak French but is fluent in "the universal language of fighting corruption on social issues."

Karahalioshas submitted 1,000 signatures and $25,000 in support of his candidacy but must gather another 2,000 signatures and an additional $275,000 by the March 25 deadline to meet the final requirements.