North not exempt from climate action, says Yukon MP
Yukon MP Larry Bagnell says there's no exception for the North when it comes to reducing the use of fossil fuels, despite the three territorial premiers' united stand against carbon pricing.
Bagnell says all Canadians have to do their part to reduce emissions. Yesterday, he joined a march in Whitehorse urging provincial and territorial leaders at the Conference of the Federation to take action against climate change.
"The federal government has been very flexible," Bagnell said.
"The prime minister has set up a system where each premier develops their own strategy, as how they're going to meet their target. Obviously everyone has to participate in reducing carbon, as Canada has committed to."
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said this week the government will impose a "strong" price on carbon — and won't rule out a cap to ensure provinces meet a national standard.
Yesterday, Yukon Premier Darrell Pasloski, N.W.T. Premier Bob McLeod and Nunavut Premier Peter Taptuna released a joint statement, reiterating their opposition to a "carbon tax," which they say will have "a negative impact on the quality of life in the North."
"We as territorial premiers must ensure the economic impacts of our climate solutions create jobs, not kill jobs," Pasloski said in the statement.
B.C. 'great example' of how carbon tax can work
Yukoner Jeff Lewis, who teaches environment sciences at Vancouver Island University, said the Northern premiers are not being realistic.
He was among the demonstrators marching through Whitehorse yesterday — and he says a carbon tax can work in the North.
Lewis points to B.C.'s strategy of easing the impact of its carbon tax by lowering income tax.
"It was a tax shift, it was revenue neutral, it was effective in reducing fossil fuel use, and it also didn't harm the economy," he said.
"So B.C. is a great example locally, in Canada, [of] how we can implement policy and make a big difference."
