Kinew, Freeland quiet on carbon tax cut talk

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 09/11/2023 (699 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew and federal Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland claimed to be in lockstep during a joint press conference Thursday morning — with neither wanting to talk about a carbon tax exemption.

The deputy prime minister was in Winnipeg to announce $185 million in federal funding for two Manitoba Hydro infrastructure ventures: Pointe du Bois renewable energy project and Portage area capacity expansion project.

Both Kinew and Freeland dodged reporters’ questions about a possible exemption to the federal carbon tax on natural gas used for home heating.

On Monday, Kinew confirmed for the first time his support for such a federal tax break, when pressed at the premiers summit in Halifax.

The federal Liberal government announced last month a carbon tax exemption on high-cost, high-polluting home heating oil used primarily by residents of Eastern Canada. The move prompted outrage from the premiers of Alberta and Saskatchewan, claiming the break was unfair.

Asked for her reaction to Kinew backing calls for other home heating fuels to be exempt, Freeland said the premier shares Ottawa’s priorities of economic growth, affordability, and climate action.

“I am absolutely convinced that we share the same values, we share the same priorities, and that this government of Manitoba and our federal government are going to be able to do great things together for the people of Manitoba,” Freeland said.

The two met in person for the first time Wednesday evening, ahead of the announcement at Hydro’s downtown Winnipeg headquarters.

Kinew declined to say if he raised the topic of a carbon tax exemption with Freeland.

“Because I’m so optimistic about the strength of this working relationship, I know that you’ll understand that the contents of a preliminary meeting… are going to remain between us,” the NDP premier said.

Asked whether a carbon tax exemption for Manitobans is one of his priorities, Kinew said his focus Thursday was to showcase the province’s partnership with Ottawa to deliver on new jobs and clean energy.

“The way to have a sustainable economy that is going to last for decades and decades to come and put food on the table for Manitobans is by doing it in a low-carbon way and to continue to invest in the trail that’s been broken and cleared for us by Hydro.”–Premier Wab Kinew

“The way to have a sustainable economy that is going to last for decades and decades to come and put food on the table for Manitobans is by doing it in a low-carbon way and to continue to invest in the trail that’s been broken and cleared for us by Hydro,” Kinew said.

The premier said he looks forward to working with Ottawa on future initiatives to address climate change and emissions.

Freeland also reaffirmed Ottawa’s willingness to work with other levels of government, including Manitoba, that want to roll-out heat pumps in their communities.

danielle.dasilva@freepress.mb.ca