Premiers agree to working groups, one on carbon pricing

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Canada’s premiers have agreed to study carbon pricing options that would be adapted to the specific circumstances of each province and territory.

There will be a meeting this fall as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the premiers work toward a final Canadian climate deal.

“The collective will and solidarity shown throughout our discussions today is very promising, it’s exactly the spirit we need to tackle climate change and grow our economy”

Trudeau says any suggestions on carbon pricing also must consider Canada’s Indigenous Peoples and the North.

“We’ve also committed to advancing efforts to eliminate the dependence on diesel in Indigenous, remote and Northern communities, replaced by renewable energy and energy efficiency.”

He adds he’s happy there’s a plan to move forward while respecting regional differences.

Trudeau goes on the say Canada looks forward to battling climate change.

“We look at climate change as a tremendous opportunity, it is a challenge, but also an opportunity to innovate, to share solutions with the world, and to demonstrate the ingeniosity, and inventiveness of Canadians in solving significant challenges.”

A working group has been formed to study carbon pricing options. Heading into the meeting, there was dissent from several premiers about the federal government’s plan for a national carbon pricing scheme.

Conservative environment critic Ed Fast says several groups will be underwhelmed by the plan.

“I believe there will be profound disappointment from those in the resource industry, those who will be impacted by carbon taxes, but there will be no further clarity as to what that climate change framework we’re at will look like.”

Federal NDP Environment critic Nathan Cullen says a national climate change plan announced today by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau needs concrete action.

Cullen says there has already been enough debate about what should be done.

“It’s not as if climate change is a new topic, we’ve been at it for 25 years, my concern is that when governments are unable to act, they study, instead of roundtables. They run around and around chasing their own tails.

Cullen says it would be a big mistake to fixate on carbon pricing because some people are using the contentious issue as a delay tactic to postpone change.

Some consider today’s announcement a step in the right direction:

Environmentalist Ben West, with Tanker Free BC, thinks something must be done to reverse the rise in emissions in BC.

“I think they’re will be a job to do for folks who care about this, to go and approach their provincial leaders, to make it clear that this is an issue that we all care about, and I think the fact that they are focusing on job creation and economic development is probably a good thing.”

West says some job creation opportunities in the clean energy sector are being missed.

He also thinks today’s investment announcements could go a long way with renewable energy.

Listen in full to what Ben West had to say: