Ontario, Saskatchewan premiers to meet in Saskatoon about carbon tax, economy

SASKATOON — Ontario Premier Doug Ford is bringing his anti-carbon tax crusade to Saskatchewan.

Ford is to meet with Premier Scott Moe on Thursday to discuss the federal government’s carbon tax plan and the economy.

“My friends, I am so excited to tell you I’m heading to Saskatchewan to see my friend Premier Scott Moe — he is a champion,” Ford said on Twitter Wednesday.

“We have a strong united front against the worst tax ever — that is the carbon tax.”

Ford said Ontario and Saskatchewan are going to stand up to what he called Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s tax and spend policies.

“We are going to get his hand out of your pocket and start putting money back into the taxpayers’ pocket,” he said in a video with a gas station in the background. “See everyone in Saskatchewan.”

Ford’s Progressive Conservative government is challenging the federal government’s carbon pricing plan in court.

Saskatchewan contends that a federal carbon tax could potentially reduce the province’s gross domestic product by billions of dollars with little effect on emissions.

Moe’s government has asked Saskatchewan’s Court of Appeal to rule on whether the federal plan is unconstitutional.

Ford’s meeting with Moe is only one stop on his road trip.

The Ontario premier is to speak Friday at a “Scrap The Carbon Tax Rally” in Calgary at the invitation of Alberta United Conservative Party leader Jason Kenney.

Kenney, the leader of Alberta’s Opposition, has promised to repeal the province’s carbon tax if his party wins the 2019 spring election.

The former federal Conservative cabinet minister was also active on social media Wednesday with a post that shows a map of Canada. Provinces that oppose the carbon tax are shown in blue, including Saskatchewan, Ontario, P.E.I. and Manitoba.

The post contains the slogan: “The Growing Anti-Carbon Tax Alliance. Alberta Coming in 2019”.

Earlier Wednesday, Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister announced that his government is scrapping its plan to bring in a carbon tax in December.

Pallister announced a year ago he would enact a $25-a-tonne carbon tax and keep it at that rate.

He said the province was pulling out completely because Ottawa has not backed off on threats to backstop Manitoba’s tax with its own, higher rate.

The Canadian Press