The Saskatchewan government is drawing a line in the sand with the Trudeau government over fertilizer. .The Saskatchewan First Act (SFA) takes control of fertilizer regulation away from the federal government and confirms the province’s “exclusive jurisdiction” over the resource.. Bronwyn Eyre April 13 2022Photo by Chris Oldcorn .On November 1, the Saskatchewan government introduced the SFA, which asserts the provincial government’s jurisdiction over natural resources..Minister of Justice and Attorney General Bronwyn Eyre said the SFA is “historic legislation” which will stop “intrusive federal policies” impeding the economic growth of Saskatchewan..“This historic legislation will help protect our economic growth and prosperity from intrusive federal policies that encroach upon our legislative sovereignty. It is time to draw a line and assert our constitutional rights,” said Eyre..Eyre said the SFA only confirms the existing jurisdiction over natural resources, including authority over “non-renewable natural resource exploration, development, conservation and management, forestry, and electricity generation.”.The SFA states “the regulation of fertilizer use in Saskatchewan, including application, production, quantities and emissions” is provincial jurisdiction. .READ MORE Confused farmers and Tories want clarity about Trudeau’s fertilizer plan.Eyre said they included fertilizer in the SFA because of possible federal mandates about fertilizer use as part of the Trudeau government’s climate change plan..The Trudeau government said the agricultural industry needs to reduce fertilizer emissions by 30% by 2030, but it is not “mandatory.”. Bronwyn Eyre SFA Press Conference .However, the Saskatchewan government is concerned about the fertilizer mandate becoming required and not just optional..“We’re concerned that as in so many areas … methane, clean electricity regulations, the carbon tax … it very, very, very quickly becomes not a partnership of equals, not working together but a dictation about compulsory measures, which absolutely harm the province and the AG sector, which is the most sustainable of any AG sector in the world,” said Eyre to the media..“We’re concerned about the signals that are being sent about the fertilizer reduction and potential mandates in that area.”.READ MORE Trudeau’s big plans for 'climate police'.The provincial government does not want to be put in the same situation as the carbon tax, where the Trudeau government forced it on the provinces and territories using “peace, order, and good governance” for justification..Eyre said it is important to lay out who has jurisdiction..“We have exclusive jurisdiction under the constitution. We are asserting what we already have,” said Eyre..“The point of that legally is because increasingly we are seeing stealth, we are seeing regulations, legislation being imposed on us which have economic harm and which actually violate the law.”.Eyre used the new federal fuel standard as an example, which will have a $700 million impact per year on gas and diesel production..“It is a federal policy and it directly infringes 92A,” said Eyre..The 92A constitutional clause established provincial jurisdiction over natural resources.
