Energy and Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson says he would be “committed” to a consumer carbon tax if he became Liberal leader and prime minister, despite the policy’s unpopularity.
“I’m going to continue to make the case to Canadians that the consumer component of the carbon price will actually strengthen our ability to address climate change and do it in an affordable way,” Wilkinson told CTV. He said this in an interview with Power. Let’s play on Wednesday.
Wilkinson confirmed he was considering running as Liberal MPs met in Ottawa on Wednesday to discuss a future leadership contest following Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s resignation.
“Various caucus and cabinet colleagues have come to me and asked me to consider running for office, and I’m looking at it in that context,” Wilkinson told host Vassie Kapelos. “I’ve had conversations with a lot of people and I think it’s time for a prime minister and a Liberal leader who is a little more focused on the economy and business.”
Wilkinson said he is waiting for the rules of the leadership race, including entry fees, to be announced before deciding whether to officially step into the ring.
“It’s important to make sure we have enough support, not only from the caucus, but also from the national organizers, that we can reasonably consider that race to be competitive,” Wilkinson said.
tax refund
The consumer carbon tax was implemented in 2019 under the Trudeau government, but has become unpopular with Canadians. The Conservative Party, which has promised to “cut taxes”, has used this policy to attack the Liberal Party for years. The tax has also received significant pushback from most premiers, including Newfoundland and Labrador’s Liberal Premier Andrew Furey, leading some Liberal MPs to wonder if it’s time to reconsider the policy. even expressed.
In April, carbon prices are set to rise from $80 to $95 per tonne in states covered by the federal backstop, with drivers paying an additional 3.3 cents per liter to use the pump. It turns out. The tax is scheduled to increase by an additional $15 per tonne each year until it reaches $170 per tonne in 2030. To offset the costs, Canadians eligible for the backstop will receive quarterly payments known as the “Canada Carbon Rebate.”
Asked by Kapelos about the controversial policy, Wilkinson acknowledged it was a “political firestorm” but said the federal government “has done a better job communicating about rebates.” “There is,” he said.
“In fact, from a polling perspective, the numbers look quite different from six months ago,” Wilkinson said.
When pressed by Mr Kapelos about the policy and the party’s plummeting approval ratings, Mr Wilkinson reiterated that it was a “mechanism to combat climate change”.
“Certainly there are challenges for the party as a whole from a polling perspective and I think there are a number of causes for that,” Wilkinson said. “I don’t think it’s particularly relevant to carbon pricing.”
Upper limit on greenhouse gas emissions
Mr Wilkinson said he was “committed” to a consumer carbon tax but was “open to dialogue” on emissions caps.
Last fall, the government released draft regulations that would cap the oil and gas sector’s greenhouse gas emissions and require them to be reduced by 35% from 2019 levels. The oil and gas sector has four years to phase out cuts, but Alberta is calling on Ottawa to lift the restrictions.
“At the end of the day, what I want to see is emissions go down in every sector of the economy, including the oil and gas sector. As for what tools we use to actually get there. I would be happy to discuss it,” Wilkinson said.
Mr Wilkinson has been the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources since 2023. He was first elected as the North Vancouver Capilano riding representative in 2015 during Prime Minister Trudeau’s first term, and previously served as Minister of Fisheries and Minister of Environment and Climate Change.
The full interview with Energy and Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson is available at the beginning of this article.
