This column was published in the New Brunswick Telegraph-Journal on October 31, 2019.

Premier Blaine Higgs may want to ask some of his fellow premiers to recommend a good chiropractor, because their spines are rock solid while Higgs’ backbone seems to be slipping a disc on the fight against the carbon tax.

Here’s the promise New Brunswick’s Progressive Conservatives made in the last provincial election: “We will join Saskatchewan, Ontario and Manitoba to fight the federal government’s plan to levy a carbon tax.”

After split decisions on court challenges in Ontario and Saskatchewan, the carbon tax fight is about to go to the Supreme Court. Initially, Higgs remained committed.

“Our government has been consistent in its position that the federal carbon tax is unfair and will only add unnecessary costs that hurt the economy,” said Higgs in a statement. “We anticipate this case will be heard by the Supreme Court of Canada, and we are committed to seeing this matter through.”

Then came the federal election. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberals lost 27 seats and lost the popular vote. Yet it’s causing Higgs to consider breaking his promise to fight the carbon tax.

“We have to find a way in New Brunswick to make [a carbon tax] work,” said Higgs on Oct. 22.

What happened to “seeing this matter through” just months ago?

Right now, the carbon tax costs New Brunswick taxpayers 4.4 cents per litre when they buy gasoline. By 2022, Ottawa will raise it to 11 cents per litre. New Brunswickers already pay some of the highest fuel taxes in Canada. 

The carbon tax – any carbon tax – is completely unfair to New Brunswick, where it’s fairly rural and often cold.

Worse, it’s questionable whether carbon taxes even help the environment. British Columbia imposed a carbon tax a decade ago. Yet, according to the B.C. government, the province’s emissions have gone up five of the last seven years.

More importantly, New Brunswick has a remarkable record. In 2005, New Brunswick’s emissions totalled 20 megatonnes, according to the Government of Canada. In 2017, New Brunswick’s emissions had fallen to 14.3 megatonnes. That’s a 28.5 per cent reduction. Without a carbon tax.

Other provincial governments have remained strong in the defense of their taxpayers.

“Cancel the federal carbon tax,” stated Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe. 

“A minimum gesture of conciliation and productive climate change cooperation would be to … exempt the province from the Greenhouse Gas pollution Pricing Act’s federal [carbon tax] backstop,” wrote Alberta Premier Jason Kenney.

Ontario Environment Minister Jeff Yurek reaffirmed that his province will see its court battle “through to its end.”

“We’re going to proceed with our made-in-Manitoba green plan with or without the federal government’s support,” said Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister who’s province is continuing to oppose Ottawa’s carbon tax.

Here’s one more point for Higgs to consider: what will he do if circumstances shift again as they so often do? Will he flip-flop again if the Supreme Court rules against the carbon tax? Minority governments rarely last long: what will Higgs do if the next federal election produces a different result?

From the start, it was obvious opposing the carbon tax would be a tough go. But the fact remains that New Brunswickers can’t afford it. Higgs has the best of answers to justify unbending opposition to a carbon tax: it’s what he promised to do.

Paige MacPherson is Atlantic Director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.