Scott Moe joins premiers to demand Trudeau convene first ministers meeting over carbon tax

Saskatchewan’s premier says Prime Minister Trudeau must hear out the Canadians and premiers who oppose his carbon tax.Scott Moe wrote the prime minister on Friday to ask him to convene a First Ministers’ meeting, given the federal carbon tax increase took effect on Monday.Moe said his request followed similar letters sent by Alberta’s Danielle Smith, New Brunswick’s Blaine Higgs, and Newfoundland and Labrador’s Andrew Furey. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre also called on Trudeau to sit down with premiers and discuss the tax earlier this week.“The Carbon Tax is unaffordable, unfair and ineffective,” Moe wrote.“In the interest of fairness for all Canadians, I echo Premier Furey’s, Premier Higgs’ and Premier Smith’s letters asking you to convene a First Ministers’ meeting to discuss the Federal Carbon Tax. Canadians expect us to work together and it is time for you to come to the table.”.The federal carbon tax rose $15 per tonne of carbon emissions Monday, adding 3.3 cents to the cost of each litre of gasoline and four cents to the cost of a litre of diesel fuel.The tax also adds indirect costs to food, clothing and other goods as suppliers pass on the carbon taxes incurred in manufacturing and transportation to consumers.Statistics Canada estimated that Canada’s carbon tax has increased the price of food by about 0.3% and the price of clothes by 2%. However, the federal government says eight out of ten families receive more in carbon rebates than they pay in the tax.“Addressing climate change is a priority for Saskatchewan,” Moe wrote in his letter, “but the ideological one-size-fits-all federal approach is ineffective and does not take into account unique regional economies.”Saskatchewan’s provincial government has opposed the carbon tax since it was first announced. A legal challenge rose to the Supreme Court but failed.As of January 1, the province stopped collecting and remitting carbon tax collected on home heating to Ottawa. The move followed a Liberal government decision to exempt the carbon tax on home heating oil which primarily benefits those living in Atlantic Canada.Seven provincial premiers have vocally opposed the tax.