At the annual summer meeting of premiers in St. Andrews New Brunswick, Doug Ford, the newly elected premier of Ontario and Saskatchewan’s premier, Scott Moe, announced their united decision to fight the federal government’s carbon tax. Both Moe and Ford said they believe Canada must have a climate-change strategy, but the premiers also said the carbon tax threatens families and puts jobs at risk.
Moe’s negative reaction to the carbon tax shouldn’t be surprising as the Saskatchewan Party is financed by corporate interests, who predictably despise all taxes. Still, Moe recognizes climate change is an actuality that can’t be overlooked. After all, climate change is hard to ignore. Glaciers are shrinking, the country’s sea surface temperatures continue to rise, the ice on Canadian lakes and rivers are melting faster than ever. Much of Canada has experienced an increase in precipitation from five to 35 per cent as the climate warms. Moreover, the effects of climate change are critical for Saskatchewan’s agriculture, as the province’s winters are instrumental in destroying pests and crop diseases.
I believe the Trudeau government has taken many great initiatives as of late. Yet, the carbon tax might be a short-sighted moment, especially in consideration of Saskatchewan’s agricultural industry. Certainly, the visible realities of climate change shouldn’t be ignored, but Saskatchewan’s farmers and ranchers – the heart and soul of this province – will be harmed by this tax.
I believe the best way to address climate change is by encouraging Saskatchewan’s agricultural producers to continue adopting improved farming practices. Implementing higher fuel prices for Saskatchewan’s farmers and ranchers isn’t the best way to progress, as the carbon tax will merely raise operational costs. Arguably, the positive influences resulting from the carbon tax on the environment might be minimal at best.
In the spring, Minister of Environment Dustin Duncan said the national inventory report of provincial and national emissions failed to account for Saskatchewan’s soil and forest sequestration. According to Duncan, Saskatchewan soils are sequestering an average of nine mega tonnes of carbon annually, whereas the province’s forests sequester 3.5 mega tonnes of carbon each year. Carbon sequestration refers to storing carbon dioxide, thus deterring the effects of global warming. Methods such as zero-till farming and increasing acres of tame forage help to sequester larger amounts of carbon. Moreover, the expansion of pulse crops are also assisting in decreasing provincial emissions.
Since a trade war appears to be looming with the United States, Canada’s economic security might be jeopardized even further with the carbon tax in play. In light of NAFTA’s possible disintegration, Canada’s industries must remain strong, competitive and viable. Therefore, the Liberals should rethink their carbon tax strategy by devising better methods to reduce emissions without negatively impacting Saskatchewan’s agricultural sector. Clearly, Moe, Ford and Trudeau need to have a long chat over the summer.
