Photo: Government of Alberta / Flickr

By Chris Brown

DOESN'T RULE OUT ALBERTA CARBON TAX

Kenney: Fight against federal carbon tax will continue, all options will be considered

Mar 25, 2021 | 11:59 AM

Premier Jason Kenney says the provincial government will continue its fight against the carbon tax after the Supreme Court of Canada ruled a federal price on carbon is constitutional.

“We are obviously disappointed with that decision,” said Kenney Thursday morning. “The Supreme Court ignored the Alberta Court of Appeal’s warning and discovered a new federal power that erodes provincial jurisdiction and undermines our constitutional federal system.”

Kenney says the government will take time to study the decision in detail.

“The best we can hope for is that the Supreme Court has invented a one-time-only carbon pricing exception to the constitutional order,” he says.

READ MORE: In split decision, Supreme Court says the federal carbon price is constitutional

Kenney says the province will continue to press its case that challenges Bill C-69, currently before the Alberta Court of Appeal, and will discuss the next steps on the carbon tax with Albertans as well as with other provinces who are against the carbon tax.

He said consultations will start “right away.”

“We’ll do everything in our power to minimize the cost on Albertans and on our trade-exposed industry that must compete globally, while at the same time we continue to ensure that we responsibly reduce emission from Alberta.

Asked whether he would consider a made-in-Alberta carbon tax to avoid a federally-imposed one, Kenney said nothing is being ruled out.

“We’re going to consider all options here, listen to Albertans and see what they want us to do.”

The NDP government implemented a $20 per tonne carbon tax on Jan. 1, 2017. The United Conservative government repealed that not long after forming government in April 2019.

Kenney said during Thursday’s news conference that two-thirds of Albertans continue to oppose a carbon tax. He added even though he doesn’t like the federal carbon tax, it is “in one sense at least” less costly to Albertans than the Alberta NDP carbon tax.

“That was partly designed to squeeze money out of taxpayers to spend on NDP pet projects like subsidizing low flow showerheads and light bulbs,” he said.

He says Albertans can be sure the UCP will not use this excuse of today’s decision to squeeze more money for the government out of Albertans.

Kenney also expressed concern about the Supreme Court decision opening the door to an overreach from the federal government into areas that are exclusively in provincial jurisdiction.

(CHAT News Today)