Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe announced on Monday that he will instruct Sask Energy to stop collecting the federal carbon tax on January 1 if Prime Minister Justin Trudeau doesn’t scrap it before then. 

Moe’s announcement comes after Trudeau backtracked on the carbon tax in a way that affects mostly Atlantic Canada. Trudeau announced that home heating oil — which a disproportionate number Atlantic Canadians use — would be exempt from the carbon tax for the next three years. 

Moe and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith subsequently demanded Trudeau extend his federal exemption to include natural gas, which is what most people in their provinces use to heat their homes.  

“The Prime Minister chose to make life more affordable for families in one part of the country, while leaving Saskatchewan families out in the cold.”

“How is that fair to families here in our province where affordability is also an issue?”

Moe said that if Trudeau doesn’t extend the carbon tax exemption to include all forms of home heating — not just heating oil. 

“But if not, effective January first, Sask Energy will stop collecting and submitting the carbon tax on natural gas, effectively providing Saskatchewan residents with the very same exemption that the federal government is giving heating oil in Atlantic Canada.” 

Moe also poked fun at the Liberal MP Gudie Hutchings who said in an interview that Western Canada can benefit from carbon tax pauses like Atlantic Canada received by electing more Liberal MPs.

Earlier this year, Moe threw down a challenge to Environment Minister and  CN Tower-scaler Steven Guilbeault to “come get me” if he has issues with using coal for power after 2030.