Sask rural municipalities agree CO2 is not a pollutant, prompting sharp exchange in legislature

The Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM) overwhelmingly resolved carbon dioxide (CO2) is not a pollutant, prompting more carbon emissions from the mouths of MLAs who debated the issue.On March 14, 95% of rural municipal politicians at the annual SARM convention in Regina voted to recognize that CO2 is not a pollutant and to have the Saskatchewan Party government remove the province from all national and international net zero agreements.Shortly afterwards in the legislature, Saskatchewan United Party Leader Nadine Wilson chided the government on its stance so far."The Sask Party government stands in this Assembly, puffs out their chest, pats themselves on the back for helping Alberta and Manitoba with energy in January, at the same time ignoring that the coal plant in Estevan that provided this energy is actively being shut down by this government. They have committed to the net zero by 2050 agenda with Justin Trudeau and are destroying the economy in southern Saskatchewan.""They are choosing to shut down clean coal in favour of more wind and solar farms, farms that have been proven to be abject failures in Germany, France, the UK, Italy, Japan, Taiwan, California and even Alberta, to list a few."When will all this Sask Party government be open to the public about their energy plan? When will they come clean about the impact of their net zero agenda?"Minister of Crown Investments Corporation Dustin Duncan invited the MLA for Saskatchewan Rivers to think back."The member opposite would know or should recall that she was a member of this caucus when the pan-Canadian climate plan was announced by the federal government and signed by every single province except for one and that was this province. So no, we disagree vehemently with the federal government, with their plan, when it comes to the clean electricity regulations," Duncan said."A 377‑megawatt natural gas power plant will be opening later this summer. As well we have plans for another 377‑megawatt natural gas plant at the Aspen site to be opened by 2027."Wilson stood to interrupt Duncan to ask if he would respond as SARM had asked."Will this government find its feet today and stand with people of this province and admit that CO2 is not a pollutant and scrap their net zero by 2050 agreement with Justin Trudeau?"Duncan replied, "I’ll say that we have disagreed with the clean electricity regulations that have been put in place by the federal government." The minister added that the carbon-capture project at the coal-fired Boundary Dam power plant was something the government continued to invite "the world to come to Estevan to see what we are doing and this groundbreaking technology."Wilson asked again, "Will this government stand with the people today and recognize that CO2 is not a pollutant and scrap their net zero by 2050 agenda?"Duncan reiterated his earlier points including that carbon-emitting energy sources would continue to be used for decades."I would ask the member opposite, and I’m glad to see that she stuck around in question period long enough to hear my answers this time, Mr. Speaker, is the member opposite opposed to nuclear power because it does not emit carbon dioxide. Is she opposed to nuclear power?"It was Wilson's turn to deflect with complaints of the government's "wreck-and-neglect.""I’ve been hammering the Sask Party government for months in the legislature about axing their 15‑cents-a-litre tax on fuel, yet they refuse to listen and they refuse to act. They will not give the hard-working Saskatchewan people the same tax cuts that our neighbours have given their citizens," she said."As we keep saying, Saskatchewan doesn’t have a money problem; it has a management problem. When will the Sask Party management swallow their pride and finally axe their tax on fuel?"Duncan replied, "Last week the Heavy Construction Association sent a letter disputing the calls for pausing of provincial fuel tax. They said that the suspension would be a short-term solution that will create long-term problems. Industry members’ operations would be forced to shut down and move out of the province."He added that neither Sask United nor the NDP "had come up with a single policy of their own."Speaker Randy Weekes cautioned Duncan it was against rules of the legislature to make reference to a member's presence or absence. He also asked Regina NDP MLA Meara Conway to withdraw and apologize for telling Sask Party MLA Jeremy Harrison, "Tell the truth, Jeremy."Conway withdrew and apologized for her comments. However, in a press release following question period, Wilson also asked the government to be honest."The people of this province have spoken loud and clear," said Wilson."Their reckless net zero agenda is destroying the economy in southern Saskatchewan by eliminating good-paying jobs. When will they be honest with the public about the full impact of net zero?"

Sask rural municipalities agree CO2 is not a pollutant, prompting sharp exchange in legislature

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