Following a housing announcement in Calgary, Trudeau became visibly angry when a reporter asked whether he’d answer Smith’s call to convene a meeting with Premiers on the carbon tax.
When asked the simple question of whether he’d hold a meeting on the carbon tax with Premiers, Trudeau dodged the question, saying, “I find it interesting that Danielle Smith actually changed her mind on this one. A number of years ago, she was asked about the price on pollution and the Canada carbon rebate that comes with it, and she said she likes it”. He then recited talking points on ‘the price on pollution’ and cited forest fires last year as evidence for climate change.
Danielle Smith responded to this comment on her previous approval of the carbon tax, saying that her statements were made three years ago before she was Premier and when the Prime Minister had promised the carbon tax would never be raised above $50 per tonne. She added that this was also prior to his unveiling of emission caps, methane caps, net zero power grids, etc.
Also, as an aside and for the record, several, if not all, of the fires last year have been directly connected to arson, not climate change, as Trudeau claimed.
The reporter didn’t cease her questioning after Trudeau’s initial response, pushing him to just answer whether he’d have a meeting. At this, he got angrier.
Trudeau says Premiers already got their meeting… in 2016
“We had a meeting on carbon pricing,” Trudeau said, “and every single Premier came together to work on establishing a pan-Canadian framework on climate change. Years ago. And part of it was that there would be a federal backstop to make sure pollution wasn’t free anywhere across the country.”
The meetings Trudeau is talking about took place in 2016 before any of the current Premiers had been elected to their positions. Moreover, the past Premiers didn’t receive full details of the plans. Trudeau decided to just go ahead and implement it while the framework was still being reviewed. The specifics were never given.
As it stands, the Premiers of Newfoundland, New Brunswick, Alberta, and now Saskatchewan and Ontario have all called on Trudeau to convene a meeting. How long Trudeau can dodge them is anyone’s guess.
