Bloc, NDP support Conservative motion to hold emergency carbon tax meeting

In a rare show of unity among opposition parties, the NDP and Bloc Québécois teamed up with the opposition Conservatives calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to hold a First Minister’s meeting to discuss the carbon tax.The motion, while non-binding, compels Trudeau to hold a televised meeting within the next five weeks.It was the first time opposition parties voted against the government since the federal NDP entered into a confidence and supply agreement with the Liberals in 2022 following the 2021 election.In a statement following the vote, the Conservatives accused Trudeau of being tone deaf at a time when one in ten people in Toronto are relying on food banks and more than half of Canadians are only $200 away from missing their bills..“Trudeau just doesn’t understand that if you tax the farmer who makes the food and the trucker who ships the food, you tax the family who buys the food.”Conservative Party of Canada.“Trudeau decided to hike the carbon tax even though 70% of Canadians and 70% of provincial premiers opposed it. He even refused to listen to his former Liberal ally, the premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, as well as three other provincial Liberal parties, who asked him not to increase the tax,” it said.“Trudeau just doesn’t understand that if you tax the farmer who makes the food, and the trucker who ships the food, you tax the family who buys the food.”.“There is no rail system or subway system. Infrastructure to support electric vehicles is improving but remains inadequate through our sparsely populated land mass,”Newfoundland Premier Anthony Furey.The Conservatives insist the carbon tax is making life less affordable for Canadians, while the Liberals insist their carbon rebates mean most Canadians actually end up with more money than they pay.That works out to about $1,800 for a family of four in Alberta.The latest developments came after Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Anthony Furey — a Liberal — penned a letter to the PM on April 1 and asked him to delay increasing the tax to $80 per tonne.In his letter, Furey said his government “supports the goal” of reducing carbon emissions, but people in his province can’t avoid them due to their unique geography.“There is no rail system or subway system. Infrastructure to support electric vehicles is improving but remains inadequate through our sparsely populated land mass,” he said..“Canadians want to see their politicians trying to work out their differences, and there are differences between the provinces and the federal government.”NDP environment critic Laurel Collins.His letter was followed up with five more from the premiers of Alberta, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick, Ontario and Nova Scotia.Despite claiming he’s “all ears” Trudeau has so far spurned direct requests from six of seven premiers impacted by the federal tax accusing them of being “complainers” who would rather “make political hay” of the issue than offer any real solutions.And indeed, NDP environment critic Laurel Collins accused Poilievre and the premiers of not having a “plan” to deal with climate change, but said her party is open to alternatives to the tax as part of broader climate policy.“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," she said.“They do not have a plan to fight the climate crisis and that’s something that Canadians should be aware of,” she added. “Canadians want to see their politicians trying to work out their differences and there are differences between the provinces and the federal government.”For his part, Trudeau accused the Conservatives of blocking rebates to Canadian families.

Bloc, NDP support Conservative motion to hold emergency carbon tax meeting

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