REGINA - The day after the provincial budget was delivered in the Saskatchewan legislature, provincial politicians had on their minds what was transpiring on the federal scene.
Federal Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre has introduced a motion of non-confidence in the federal Liberal government over the planned increase to the carbon tax on April 1, and has called for an election over the carbon tax. The speculation is that both the NDP as well as the Bloc Québécois will side with the Justin Trudeau government and allow it to survive the confidence vote.
The developments in Ottawa are being closely watched by Premier Scott Moe, who shared his own thoughts on how he would vote on that motion if he had the chance.
“My thoughts are if we had a vote on the floor of the Parliament we would vote for the Ppposition’s motion against the government,” said Moe.
“We’ve always been very clear when it comes to the carbon tax that should be removed on everything for everyone. And we would encourage all parties. in particular the NDP and the Bloc, to vote with the Opposition on this motion. We understand that would force an election, a carbon tax election, and we would be in favour of an election sooner rather than later. This is a minority administration that is trying to stretch their tenure past what is the customary four years to ultimately to five years. And I think an administration that is no longer representative of the people of Canada and they should put their administration to a vote.
“So commending the Opposition leader, Peter Poilievre, for bringing that to the floor. We’ll be watching closely how the opposition parties vote. We encourage all of them to vote with the Opposition.”
Moe went on to slam the carbon tax for its inflationary impact.
“This is the most inflationary tax that this nation has right now,” said Moe. “Nowhere is that more evident than just right here in Saskatchewan, where we reduced the carbon tax off our home heating natural gas and electricity, and we’ve dropped a full point in our consumer price index. Statistics Canada said that was due to us removing the carbon tax off our home heating fuel. Can you imagine if rather than increase the carbon tax on fuel to $.17 per litre this year, they actually removed it altogether? What that would do for the economy in Saskatchewan, and what it would do for Saskatchewan families when it comes to the affordability matrix that they have, when they’re filling up their fuel tank to take their kids to soccer, to dance, to the extracurricular activities that we hope will continue.”
While Moe has been roasting the federal Liberals for the carbon tax, the opposition parties in the Legislature have been going after Moe over affordability measures. The opposition NDP have blasted the government in the Assembly for not dropping the fuel tax on a daily basis for the entire spring sitting so far.
The provincial NDP have also fought off accusations from the government that they are in favour of the federal carbon tax, despite their own pronouncements that they oppose it.
In Question Period Thursday, Finance Minister Donna Harpauer said “those members opposite are all over the map — supporting it, not supporting it — but the bottom line is they support it. They support Jagmeet Singh, who won’t even take a call from their leader who supports the carbon tax. He’s pumping up Justin Trudeau, and that drives up the cost of living.”
Finance Critic Trent Wotherspoon responded: "Talk about tacky and desperate. This Official Opposition will stand up against that federal carbon tax every day of the week.”
That drew a response from Crown Investments Corporation Minister Dustin Duncan, who lampooned Wotherspoon for saying the NDP have been against the carbon tax. “Nobody in this province believes that, Mr. Speaker.”
Duncan then pointed to past remarks from NDP MLAs Jared Clarke and Erika Ritchie in favour of a carbon tax. “Mr. Speaker, the people of this province know that it’s been one party that has stood against the Carbon Tax from day one from this side of the House, Mr. Speaker, and we continue to do so,” said Duncan. “These members opposite cannot be counted on when it comes to standing up against the Liberal-NDP Carbon Tax. Only one party can, Mr. Speaker, and that’s on this side of the house.”
Meanwhile, the Sask United Party went even further Thursday. Their leader Nadine Wilson went so far as to repeatedly refer to the ”liberal budget” and “liberal management opposite" in describing the Sask Party, and criticized the Sask Party government for not dropping the fuel excise tax which she referred to as a “provincial carbon tax on fuel.”
“The member opposite needs to tell the members of her party that she voted for every single budget up until this year,” shot back Harpauer, who added: “There is no carbon tax on fuel in the province of Saskatchewan.”
When asked by reporters about being called “liberal” by Wilson, Premier Moe laughed.
“That’s the only person in the world that would accuse me of being a liberal,” said Moe.
Moe said as far back as his very first speech as party leader, “it was pretty evident I was not voting for the federal party. I think when you look at some of the policies we’ve brought forward, responsive to really the policies that are destructive and inflationary to families and restricting investment in our nation, we’re doing well in Saskatchewan in spite of the federal government, not because of them. That is the only person I’ve ever met to accuse me of having any liberal leaning to the policies I put forward personally, or that our government puts forward. So you’ll have to ask her to explain that.”
