Alberta Environment and Protected Areas Minister Rebecca Schulz said Rural Economic Development Minister Gudie Hutchings should listen to her jurisdiction about the carbon tax. “She will be at the cabinet table deciding how much to care about Albertans when the federal electricity regs are implemented,” tweeted Schulz on Sunday. “She’s effectively saying ‘vote for us, or else.’”.She called this "political gangsterism at its ugliest." Schulz was commenting on Hutchings saying on Sunday the Canadian government will have more discussions about if other jurisdictions will be granted an exemption to the carbon tax for home heating. “But I can tell you the Atlantic caucus was vocal with what they’ve heard from their constituents and perhaps they need to elect more Liberals in the Prairies that we can have that conversation as well,” said Hutchings. .CTV Question Period host Vassy Kapelos challenged her by asking if Albertans will have to live a more unaffordable life because Alberta has fewer Liberal MPs. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said on Friday the Canadian government’s choice to exclude the carbon tax on heating oil does not address the affordability crisis in their jurisdictions. READ MORE: Smith, Moe ask for natural gas carbon tax exemptionThis decision benefits residents in Atlantic Canada since home heating oil is their main heating source.Smith and Moe argued the exemption should extend to natural gas because it is the primary heating source for most residents in their jurisdictions, with less than 1% using heating oil.
