Hands off our bank account, Saskatchewan tells feds re: carbon tax

Brian Zinchuk

Brian Zinchuk is editor and owner of Pipeline Online

“The CRA is on the case, and has pursued collections as required by law,” says Minister of National Revenue

The carbon tax fight between Saskatchewan and Ottawa just ratcheted up another notch, with the provincial government saying the feds are seeking to seize money from “the province’s bank account,” according to a post from Premier Scott Moe on various social media on July 4.

Moe posted a video of Saskatchewan Minister of Justice and Attorney General Bronwyn Eyre, providing the provincial government’s stance.

Here’s Eyre’s full statement:

Last fall, the Trudeau-NDP government announced a carbon tax exemption on home heating oil, primarily for Atlantic Canadians.

Our government said Saskatchewan families should receive fair and equal treatment. First, we asked the federal government to extend their carbon tax exemption to all forms of home heating, for all Canadians.

When they refused, we took action, to ensure that Saskatchewan people were treated fairly, by removing the carbon tax on natural gas and electricity used for home heating here in Saskatchewan.

How did the Trudeau government respond? One Trudeau minister called it ‘immoral.’ Another Trudeau minister said that if we wanted a carbon tax exemption, we should have elected more liberals.

And then they started with the threats. They threatened to take away any rebates. They threatened fines, and jail time, all because the Saskatchewan government was providing the same carbon tax relief, here, that the federal government was giving to other Canadians.

Now they’re threatening us again, with their favorite move when someone disagrees with them. They’re sending the Canada Revenue Agency after the province’s bank account. That’s what they’re doing.

And the reason they’re doing this is because we are providing Saskatchewan residents with the exact same carbon tax exemption as Trudeau is giving other Canadians. Other parts of Canada get tax relief, but we get our bank account garnished, for providing that same tax relief.

It’s unfair and it’s unconstitutional. Section 126 of Canada’s Constitution does not allow the federal government to grab money from a province’s bank account. So today, the Province of Saskatchewan has filed an injunction to try to stop this unfair and unconstitutional cash grab by the Trudeau government.

This is about fairness and the fair application of the law. The Trudeau NDP carbon tax should be taken off everything, for everyone. But until that happens, your Saskatchewan government will protect our province, and ensure tax fairness for Saskatchewan families.

• 0084 EMP Metals Pipeline Online
  0084 EMP Metals Pipeline Online
• 0053 Kingston Midstream Westspur Alameda Click
  0053 Kingston Midstream Westspur Alameda Click
• 0082 CsHM 2024 Pipeline
  0082 CsHM 2024 Pipeline
• 0077 Caprice Resources Stand Up For Free Speech
  0077 Caprice Resources Stand Up For Free Speech
• 0076 Latus only
  0076 Latus only
• 0061 SIMSA 2024 For Sask Buy Sask
  0061 SIMSA 2024 For Sask Buy Sask
• 0055 Smart Power Be Smart with your Power office
  0055 Smart Power Be Smart with your Power office
• 0051 JML Hiring Pumpjack assembly
  0051 JML Hiring Pumpjack assembly
• 0049 Scotsburn Dental soft guitar
  0049 Scotsburn Dental soft guitar
• 0046 City of Estevan This is Estevan
  0046 City of Estevan This is Estevan
• 0041 DEEP Since 2018 now we are going to build
  0041 DEEP Since 2018 now we are going to build
• 0032 IWS Summer hiring rock trailer music
• 0022 Grimes winter hiring
• 0021 OSY Rentals S8 Promo
• 0018 IWS Hiring Royal Summer
• 0013 Panther Drilling PO ad 03 top drive rigs
• 0011
• 0006 JK Junior
• 0002 gilliss casing services
  0002 gilliss casing services
• 9002 Pipeline Online 30 sec EBEX
  9002 Pipeline Online 30 sec EBEX
• 9001

Minister of National Revenue Marie-Claude Bibeau. Government of Canada

Pipeline Online contacted the office of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Environment Steven Guilbeault, requesting a response. This response was received by email on July 4, from Minister of National Revenue Marie-Claude Bibeau:

I confirm that the province of Saskatchewan is a registered distributor and is non-compliant with the fuel charge under the GGPPA.

 

With the adoption of Bill 151, the Government of Saskatchewan chose to step into the role of a registered distributor, obligated to adhere to the law like any other. The GGPPA spells out the consequences for non-compliance, and the Supreme Court of Canada has confirmed its constitutionality (2021).

 

The CRA is on the case, and has pursued collections as required by law.

 

We stand firm in upholding the law and will continue to deliver the full Canadian Carbon Rebate to the people of Saskatchewan. Our commitment to fairness and equality for all Canadians is unwavering, as we strive to level the playing field and champion environmental responsibility nationwide. 

• 0084 EMP Metals Pipeline Online
  0084 EMP Metals Pipeline Online
• 0053 Kingston Midstream Westspur Alameda Click
  0053 Kingston Midstream Westspur Alameda Click
• 0082 CsHM 2024 Pipeline
  0082 CsHM 2024 Pipeline
• 0077 Caprice Resources Stand Up For Free Speech
  0077 Caprice Resources Stand Up For Free Speech
• 0076 Latus only
  0076 Latus only
• 0061 SIMSA 2024 For Sask Buy Sask
  0061 SIMSA 2024 For Sask Buy Sask
• 0055 Smart Power Be Smart with your Power office
  0055 Smart Power Be Smart with your Power office
• 0051 JML Hiring Pumpjack assembly
  0051 JML Hiring Pumpjack assembly
• 0049 Scotsburn Dental soft guitar
  0049 Scotsburn Dental soft guitar
• 0046 City of Estevan This is Estevan
  0046 City of Estevan This is Estevan
• 0041 DEEP Since 2018 now we are going to build
  0041 DEEP Since 2018 now we are going to build
• 0032 IWS Summer hiring rock trailer music
• 0022 Grimes winter hiring
• 0021 OSY Rentals S8 Promo
• 0018 IWS Hiring Royal Summer
• 0013 Panther Drilling PO ad 03 top drive rigs
• 0011
• 0006 JK Junior
• 0002 gilliss casing services
  0002 gilliss casing services
• 9002 Pipeline Online 30 sec EBEX
  9002 Pipeline Online 30 sec EBEX
• 9001