Federal environment minister calls Premier Moe 'immoral' for flouting carbon-price law
CBC
Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault says Ottawa has to take action against Saskatchewan for breaking the federal carbon-pricing law.
Premier Scott Moe said last week Saskatchewan would not submit the money it owes for the carbon price on natural gas as required on Feb. 29.
Moe is protesting Ottawa's decision to exempt heating oil from the levy but not natural gas, which is used by eight in 10 households in Saskatchewan.
Under the law, fuel distributors such as SaskEnergy are to submit monthly reports on the amount of fuel sold and the carbon price collected on that fuel.
Failing to submit those reports or pay the amounts owed carries consequences, including fines based on how much wasn't paid and jail time.
Guilbeault says it is "immoral" and "irresponsible" for a premier to decide not to follow the law.
"If Premier Scott Moe decides that he wants to start breaking laws and not respecting federal laws, then measures will have to be taken," Guilbeault said in response to a question from a reporter.
"We can't let that happen. What if somebody tomorrow decides that they don't want to respect other federal laws, criminal laws? What would happen then if a prime minister, a premier of a province, would want to do that?" he went on.
"It's irresponsible and it's frankly immoral on his part. We can have disagreements about things like climate change, but to be so reckless is unspeakable, really."
On Monday, Moe reiterated the federal carbon-pricing law should be eliminated.
"It is driving inflation and we still are paying a a good chunk in other areas and the position from the government of Saskatchewan's perspective hasn't changed nor will it change. It should be removed on all products for all," Moe said.
Last week, SaskEnergy Minister Dustin Duncan said he knew there might be consequences to his government's decision but it came out of a sense of fairness.
"It's not something I take lightly," Duncan said Feb. 29.
Last fall, the federal Liberals moved to give heating oil a three-year carve-out from carbon pricing, arguing families using that product needed more time and financial aid to replace their oil furnaces with electric heat pumps.
Six months after being displaced to a long-term care facility hundreds of kilometres away from his family, Jimmy Spence is holding out hope his days as an evacuee are numbered.
Saskatchewan women ages 43 and older can now sign up for mammogram screening without a doctor’s referral as part of a phased approach to get the eligibility age down to 40 by June.
Some schools, health centres and provincial civil service offices delayed opening or closed for the day on Monday due to weather conditions.
As a seasonal parking ban comes into effect on Edmonton’s residential roads this week, one councillor is concerned about how the city’s failure to fund towing teams will play out on city streets.
Students in B.C.’s biggest districts are missing significantly more school in recent years, with absences having tripled in some places, an exclusive CBC News analysis has found.
An Essex resident has been charged following a dog attack in town.
Charles Snell says he recognizes the need for more housing to be built in Thunder Bay, Ont., but that it shouldn’t come at the cost of losing green space.
Last year, Toronto had the fewest traffic-related deaths it’s recorded in a decade, just as a major road safety program has been removed from the city.
Have you thought of adding social fitness onto your list of new year's resolutions for 2026?
There's been a subtle but significant shift in what NORAD has been seeing over the last year when it comes to mostly Russian — but also Chinese — activity in the Arctic, says the top commander of the North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD).
WARNING: This story references allegations of child abuse.
Toronto’s Daily Bread Food Bank is cutting ties with one of its largest member agencies after the charity uncovered discrepancies with invoices Feed Scarborough provided to support grant funding and reported those and other financial management concerns to police.
Two London residents with roots in China say they'll be paying close attention to this week's visit to China by Prime Minister Mark Carney. Both see the trip as a first step toward improving what has been a complicated trade history between the two countries in recent years.