REGINA, SK: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is standing with Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister for serving notice to Ottawa that the province may take legal action to defend itself against a federally imposed carbon tax.

“It’s wrong for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to impose a carbon tax scheme that disregards huge investments in clean power and damages the economy,” said Todd MacKay, Prairie Director for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. “Manitobans don’t want a carbon tax and Premier Pallister is right to stand up for people in his province.”

Premier Pallister drew a clear line in the sand in a government release issued on June 29.

“The federal backstop plan fails to accommodate provincial plans, such as Manitoba’s own, which would actually further the national objectives for greenhouse-gas reductions,” said Premier Pallister. “Manitobans have invested billions of dollars in clean energy for decades and deserve credit for that early action to reduce emissions.”

Manitobans are already facing dramatic increasing rates for electricity due to massive investments in new generating capacity and clean hydro power already accounts for 98 per cent the province’s grid.

Further, approximately a third of Manitoba’s emissions come from agriculture and even the federal government recognizes that a carbon tax would make it difficult for farmers to compete in on global markets, especially as they are already efficiency leaders.

Carbon taxes have increased costs while failing to reduce emissions in British Columbia – a carbon tax that fails to account for hydro investments while undercutting export competitiveness for agriculture and other sectors would be even worse for Manitoba.

“Some have suggested that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will impose a carbon tax anyway so Manitoba should just capitulate,” said MacKay. “That’s simply true – bad policies can be beaten and a premier’s highest priority must be standing up for the people of the province. A carbon tax is a bad policy and the people of Manitoba are against it.”

Nearly 60 per cent of the 3,700 Manitobans who commented on the province’s online consultation oppose a carbon tax. A Mainstreet Research poll that shows 50 per cent of Manitobans oppose a carbon tax, while only 39 per cent support it and 11 per cent are unsure. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business surveyed Manitoba businesses and found that 62 per cent oppose a carbon tax, while only 20 per cent support it and 18 per cent are unsure.