‘More about politics than science’; Manitoba continues fight against carbon tax
Posted July 4, 2019 10:29 am.
WINNIPEG – Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister says he won’t abandon his province’s lawsuit against the federal government’s carbon tax, despite the fact Saskatchewan and Ontario have lost similar cases in court.
Manitoba filed its constitutional question on April 24 in Federal Court.
The province’s case echoes both Ontario and Saskatchewan in arguing that it’s unconstitutional for Ottawa to impose the carbon levy, which is remitted through tax rebates and green-energy programs.
It also accuses the federal Liberals of being unfair in imposing a fuel charge that’s higher than what exists in other jurisdictions, and argues Ottawa did not adequately consider Pallister’s now-cancelled flat-rate carbon tax.
Pallister has said the federal tax is more about politics than science, and that Manitoba’s lawsuit will not cost taxpayers very
much because the province will mainly use its own lawyers.
New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs said last week that he’s considering scrapping his plan to sue Ottawa over the carbon levy, after Ontario’s and Saskatchewan’s cases were shot down by their top courts this spring.
