N.B. Tories confirm opposition to provincial carbon levy if elected

MONCTON, N.B. – New Brunswick’s Tory leader has officially joined forces with his counterparts in Ontario, Saskatchewan and Alberta, promising that his government won’t bring in a carbon tax on consumers if elected on Sept. 24.

Progressive Conservative leader Blaine Higgs said today that he believes a Tory government would “meet its obligations to the environment” with methods other than raising levies on consumers, but he was not clear in a news release on what precisely that means.

Ottawa has said the provinces must place a levy on carbon and that this tax should be sufficient to meet the federal government plans for carbon reduction.

The federal government has said that if provinces don’t place the levy on consumers aimed at reducing their consumption of fossil fuels, Ottawa will do so, and Ottawa will then have final say in how the revenue-neutral tax is funnelled back to the taxpayers in New Brunswick.

Higgs has been on the record saying he would join with other Conservative governments in opposing Ottawa’s carbon emissions law in the courts.

Also today, Liberal Premier Brian Gallant announced the province will increase the province’s minimum wage to $14 by 2022 if re-elected.

The Green Party was to officially launch its campaign platform at its Fredericton headquarters this morning, with leader David Coon calling it “Our Pathway for Change.” New Democrat leader Jennifer McKenzie was to make an announcement in the afternoon about home-care services for seniors.

The provincial Liberal government hasn’t imposed a provincial carbon tax on consumers, but it has turned to Ottawa to regulate the industrial side of carbon emissions.

The Liberals have also taken a portion of the existing excise tax on gasoline and are dedicating it towards a climate change fund, however this approach hasn’t been accepted by Ottawa as adequately meeting its carbon reduction plan.