The federal New Democrats backed Conservative calls Wednesday for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to take part in a televised “emergency meeting” on carbon pricing with Canada’s premiers.
The federal carbon price is not the “be-all, end-all” of climate policy and New Democrats are open to alternative plans presented by premiers, NDP environment critic Laurel Collins said Wednesday.
Collins accused the Liberal government of using climate as a political wedge issue and said a meeting would help unite Canadians and spark new ideas.
“We need to bring Canadians together to fight the climate emergency, to tackle the cost of living crisis, and we need a government that will support them,” Collins said.
The New Democrats backed a non-binding Conservative motion demanding that Trudeau sit down with provincial and territorial leaders within five weeks.
The motion passed Wednesday in the House of Commons with the support of both the New Democrats and the Bloc Quebecois. Liberal MPs opposed it.
“Trudeau has a responsibility to listen to Canada’s premiers about the misery his carbon tax is causing Canadians,” the Conservative Party said in a media statement on Wednesday following the vote.
“In this meeting, he must also allow provinces to opt out of the federal carbon tax and pursue other responsible ideas for lowering emissions without taxes.”
Victoria NDP MP Laurel Collins says her party supports the idea of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau meeting with Canadian premiers to address climate change and the rising cost of living. Collins also accused both the Liberals and Conservatives of using these issues as a ‘political wedge.’
The Conservatives insist that the carbon price is making life less affordable for Canadians, while the Liberals insist their carbon price rebates mean most Canadians actually end up with more money at the end of the day.
Trudeau has so far spurned requests for a face-to-face meeting from six different premiers in Ontario, Western Canada and the Atlantic provinces.
Trudeau has said he believes premiers would rather complain and “make political hay” out of his federal carbon pricing program than present alternatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.