Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s actions will determine if he listened to her concerns about the carbon tax. “We’ll find out in a couple of weeks whether or not he was persuaded by it,” said Smith in a Wednesday press scrum. True North Alberta correspondent Rachel Emmanuel pointed out Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre has called for people to protest outside Liberal MPs’ offices. “What do you think of that?” said Emmanuel. Right now, Smith said there have been seven premiers who have asked for a pause on the carbon tax and there is a reason for that. The Parlimentary Budget Office found regardless of the rebates, people are paying more in carbon tax than they are receiving. She acknowledged people know that. Additionally, she said they understand the carbon tax is having an impact on inflation and it is one of the reasons the Bank of Canada has declined to reduce interest rates. Smith concluded by saying she thinks it “would be a political win to say we’re accomplishing enough with the tax at $60 per tonne.” At the moment, she said the carbon tax does not need to go up. “We have to be addressing affordability issues,” she said. “So we’ll see whether it’s the protests, whether it’s the opposition leader, whether it’s the premiers weighing in on this will make a difference.” The Prime Minister’s Office said on Tuesday Trudeau would be meeting with Smith on Wednesday at 8:30 a.m. in Calgary.READ MORE: Trudeau, Smith to hold meeting in CalgaryWhile his conversation with her will be private, a press conference will be held soon after..The PMO said Trudeau will make a dental care announcement at 10:20 a.m. It added a media availability will follow.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s actions will determine if he listened to her concerns about the carbon tax. “We’ll find out in a couple of weeks whether or not he was persuaded by it,” said Smith in a Wednesday press scrum. True North Alberta correspondent Rachel Emmanuel pointed out Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre has called for people to protest outside Liberal MPs’ offices. “What do you think of that?” said Emmanuel. Right now, Smith said there have been seven premiers who have asked for a pause on the carbon tax and there is a reason for that. The Parlimentary Budget Office found regardless of the rebates, people are paying more in carbon tax than they are receiving. She acknowledged people know that. Additionally, she said they understand the carbon tax is having an impact on inflation and it is one of the reasons the Bank of Canada has declined to reduce interest rates. Smith concluded by saying she thinks it “would be a political win to say we’re accomplishing enough with the tax at $60 per tonne.” At the moment, she said the carbon tax does not need to go up. “We have to be addressing affordability issues,” she said. “So we’ll see whether it’s the protests, whether it’s the opposition leader, whether it’s the premiers weighing in on this will make a difference.” The Prime Minister’s Office said on Tuesday Trudeau would be meeting with Smith on Wednesday at 8:30 a.m. in Calgary.READ MORE: Trudeau, Smith to hold meeting in CalgaryWhile his conversation with her will be private, a press conference will be held soon after..The PMO said Trudeau will make a dental care announcement at 10:20 a.m. It added a media availability will follow.
