Federal carbon tax could be decided in election

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REGINA (CP) – The federal government is trying to use a favourable court decision on its carbon tax to put pressure on political leaders who oppose it.

The Saskatchewan Court of Appeal ruled in a split decision May 3 that the tax imposed on provinces without a carbon price of their own is constitutional.

Environment Minister Catherine McKenna says the decision confirms that putting a price on carbon pollution is an effective response to climate change. She challenged Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe, Alberta’s Jason Kenney, Ontario’s Doug Ford, and federal Opposition Leader Andrew Scheer to join the fight.

But Moe and some other provincial leaders say the legal battle will continue in other courts, including the Supreme Court of Canada.

Saskatchewan had asked the court for its opinion on the levy that came into effect April 1 in provinces without a carbon price – Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and New Brunswick.

Alberta has a carbon tax brought in by the former NDP government, but Kenney has promised to move quickly to dump it and fight any effort by Ottawa to impose its own.

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