By Nigel Maxwell

Carbon tax

P.A. lawyer says federal carbon tax will do more good than harm

Feb 15, 2019 | 2:00 PM

A decision on whether imposing a federal carbon tax on Saskatchewan is unconstitutional remains up in the air, but in the meantime a Prince Albert environmentalist and lawyer says she supports the Liberal government’s environment plan.

Estelle Hjertaas told paNOW she believes a carbon tax is the most efficient way to reduce emissions with the least impact on the economy.

“The federal plan allows provinces to make their own plans, but provides a federal backstop to create an even playing field across the country. The impacts of greenhouse gases are interprovincial, national and international so a price must apply in all provinces,” she said.

Hjertaas made a point this week to attend the hearings in Regina, dealing with the province’s appeal of the carbon tax and had a chance to hear all the arguments from the groups granted intervenor status. Hjertaas said she did not think Saskatchewan presented a strong argument.

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“There are several heads of power that the federal government can use to implement a law like this, and the intervenors provided numerous examples of cases where similar things have been done,” she said.

The Federal carbon tax comes into effect in April, although Saskatchewan’s lawyer Mitch McAdam told reporters on Thursday a decision in cases like this can take up to a year. Hjertaas said regardless of the outcome, the case will make environmental history and will likely get appealed to the Supreme Court of Canada. She added families and producers who have concerns about added costs, need to know the federal plan is structured to reward rather than punish.

“The structure of the federal plan (in the provinces that chose not to make their own plan) means that the majority of the money raised from the carbon price will be returned directly to people living within that province, who can then choose to spend that money as they wish,” she said. “The overall negative economic impact will be negligible, and ideally people will choose to modify their behaviour in order to pollute less and thus pay less in terms of the carbon price, which means that they may come out ahead.”

Some examples Hjertaas gave for families to change their behaviours included investing in a more fuel efficient car, or insulating their homes. The court hearings in Regina wrapped up on Thursday. The justices reserved their decision and didn’t give a timeline for when it might be finished.

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nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell