CALGARY — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pushed back Wednesday on growing demands from premiers to dump the planned April 1 hike to the consumer carbon levy, saying leaders must tackle both affordability and climate change.
"My job is not to be popular,” Trudeau said, briefly pausing and adding with a wry smile,"Although it helps."
She and six other premiers have called on Trudeau to abandon the 23-per-cent hike to help Canadians already dealing with squeezed household budgets. "Why are so many people still against ?” he asked rhetorically at an unrelated announcement about the government's dental care program.He said using market mechanisms, like a carbon price, to lower greenhouse gas emissions is the best way to address the issue, rather than with the"heavy hand of government" through measures like regulations and subsidies.
Smith, who said she'd requested a meeting with Trudeau after learning he'd be in Calgary, told a news conference in Edmonton later Wednesday that she reiterated her opposition to the carbon levy. As the levy rises, so do rebates. For example, the average family of four in Alberta would get $1,800 a year."The ability of Canadians to put food on the table and fuel in their cars is more important than protecting Justin Trudeau’s fading political career," he said.In addition to Alberta, the governments of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Ontario and Saskatchewan have spoken out.
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