Wildrose questioning NDP carbon tax

Alberta announced plans in June to double a tax on carbon under the authority of Notley, who is seen as an advocate for a low-carbon economy.

Rachel Notley, Premier of Alberta, said: “Responding to climate change is about doing what’s right for future generations of Albertans – protecting our jobs, health and the environment”.

A broad carbon tax does have a few benefits; in particular it addresses the fallacies of supply-side environmentalism – the idea that penalizing those dastardly oil companies will somehow prevent climate change while sparing the rest of us the inconvenience of having to alter our behaviour.

In an interview Monday, Shell Canada’s outgoing president Lorraine Mitchelmore – a vocal supporter of the policy – said the feedback she’s heard so far from others in the industry has been “pretty positive”.

The premiers also discussed the Liberal government’s plan to bring in 25,000 Syrian refugees into Canada by the end of this year, and Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard said questions about security, financing and settlement support were answered to their satisfaction.

Progressive Conservative Leader Ric McIver: McIver said the NDP government is trying to impress others outside the province with its climate plan, but it isn’t ensuring other jurisdictions are taking similar action to curb their own emissions. She said she was convinced Alberta’s residents will willingly pay higher prices for electricity as a result of the emissions cap, but said the revenues collected under the carbon tax will be returned to help those in need.

“Anything that needs to be transported across our province – the price is going to go up”.

Meanwhile, Alberta has committed to phasing out its coal-fired electricity plants by 2030.

CALGARY-The push to combat climate change often centres on reducing carbon dioxide emissions. Some parts of Canada have a lot of hydro and so it’s easier for them to hit their (emission reduction) targets.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the premiers have launched a re-branding campaign aimed at transforming Canada’s image on the world stage from environmental pariah to climate change champion.

What do you get when you combine a First Ministers’ Meeting with a climate change briefing and a Google Hangout?

British Columbia Premier Christy Clark said her province has a world-leading carbon tax, set at $30 per tonne of carbon emissions, which has allowed progress on emissions reduction while encouraging economic growth. There’ve been consultations going on, there will be more consultations after the plan rolls out.

But environmentalists have criticized the industry’s energy intensive production process, which makes it Canada’s fastest growing source of greenhouse gas emissions.

Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne echoed Clark, telling reporters Alberta’s announcement was “extremely important” and that it helps Canada “go now to Paris … with a very strong story to tell”. “They are the product of negotiations and I think that what we have been able to achieve here is an historic agreement and a significant path forward to de-escalate conflict over Alberta’s energy resources”.

The Wildrose is portraying the NDP plan as a $3-billion tax grab, with individual households paying at least $600 more a year in higher direct home heating and gasoline costs.