It doesn’t happen very often. There was unanimous approval on a motion at the Saskatchewan Legislature today (Mon). The Official Opposition’s motion called on federal leaders to remove the carbon tax on all forms of home heating.
NDP Leader Carla Beck says, “The Moe government’s support for our motion to suspend the carbon tax is a good first step.” She added though, that talk is cheap and Saskatchewan people expect the premier to deliver real affordability relief. A news release from the NDP says the Sask Party government put forward an amendment calling for the carbon tax to be scrapped outright, and the Opposition supported it.
The Official Opposition’s motion stated:
That the Assembly expresses deep concern over the unfair decision by the Government of Canada to allow oil used for home heating to be exempted from the federal carbon tax while offering no relief to families in Saskatchewan who rely on natural gas, and,
That the Assembly expresses deep concern over the divisive comments made by the Minister of Rural Economic Development, the Honourable Gudie Hutchings, on October 28, 2023, in which she blames Canadians living on the prairies for the unfair choices of the Liberal government, and,
That the Assembly calls on all parties in the Parliament of Canada to quickly work to remove the federal carbon tax from all forms of home heating for all Canadians.
During Question Period on Monday, when Opposition Leader Carla Beck asked the premier about his plan to address affordability in the province, Scott Moe stated that if the abatement isn’t extended to Western Canada, SaskEnergy will quit collecting the carbon tax as of January 1st. Beck says although she agrees that the exemption is unfair, January 1st is not soon enough for Saskatchewan people, and more must be done in the meantime.
Moe responded by stating he provided an 8 per cent reduction on SaskEnergy bills earlier this year, and he will continue to ensure that Saskatchewan has the second lowest utility bundle in the country. Finance Minister Donna Harpauer made the same point when she stated that Saskatchewan is the most affordable province in the country when you include taxes, housing and utilities. Harpauer added that Saskatchewan has the lowest personal income tax in Canada.
NDP Finance Critic Trent Wotherspoon then suggested that Harpauer was denying their status as having the second worst economic record in the country. He asked Harpauer where the cost-of-living relief measures are for cash-strapped families.
Haurpauer added that just today, the Sask Party government announced two new programs for affordable housing, the Provincial Sales Tax Rebate for New Home Construction and the Secondary Suite Incentive.
The significant increase in Saskatchewan food bank usage was also a topic of discussion during Question Period. NDP Deputy House Leader Meara Conway says since March of 2019, the number of Saskatchewan food bank users has gone up by 50 per cent. In response, Minister of Social Services Gene Makowski says he knows there are challenges put on low-income families, and that is why the Sask. Party Government has implemented the Saskatchewan housing benefit, programs for seniors, and a higher minimum wage. Conway replied that those programs don’t properly address the people who are using the food bank most, as over 40 per cent of them are children.
