More sidepedalling if such a thing exists?
The federal leader of the New Democrats spent Monday insisting his party's position on carbon pricing remains unchanged.
But Jagmeet Singh refused to say explicitly whether he supports the consumer levy, and Canadians having to pay it on everyday items like gasoline?
"Our position is not changed — at all," he told reporters??
"We absolutely support a price on pollution. We've always supported it." (???)
Singh faced reporters for the first time since a speech last week at the annual Progress Summit, where he created confusion about the NDP position on the federal consumer levy on fuel.
In the address, Singh sang the praises of "affordable, low-carbon options" and vowed to "not punish people" who can't change how they heat their homes or get to work….so ok?
He later said the New Democrats would be putting forward a vision to tackle climate change that would emphasize initiatives with the most impact, such as methane regulations and a carbon price on industrial emitters…..so ok?
"Make those even stricter, make those even stronger, look at other ways for us to really take on big polluters," Singh told reporters last Thursday??
"We don't want working people to feel like they're shouldering the burden. That's not fair. And frankly, not a New Democrat solution to the problem." (???)
This is followed by more evasive word salad, not really saying anything at all.
OTTAWA - The federal leader of the New Democrats spent Monday insisting his party's position on carbon pricing remains unchanged.
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Trudeau noted that Singh is facing "political pressure" from conservative premiers and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, who want to scrap the policy.
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Poilievre has indeed been travelling the country, including to NDP strongholds across British Columbia and northern Ontario, to rally supporters around his "axe the tax" message.
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Public opinion polls show both the NDP and Liberals are bleeding support to the Conservatives as Poilievre champions affordability as his main issue, painting the supply-and-confidence agreement they entered into in March 2022 as a "costly coalition."
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Singh then released a statement insisting it supports the "consumer carbon price."
But when asked Monday to clarify whether he maintains that position himself, Singh would only say the party's voting record makes clear that it supports "a price on pollution," not specifying whether that includes a levy paid by consumers despite multiple questions to that effect???
"We absolutely support a price on pollution. We have not changed our position on that," he said. (?)
"We need to make sure we fight the climate crisis with everything we have, but the Liberals are eroding that trust by not supporting working-class people," Singh added.
He accused the Liberal government of continuing to provide subsides to oil and gas companies without providing supports to working-class families.
Singh had earlier chided Trudeau's move to exempt home heating oil from the carbon price for three years, calling it a divisive decision. (?? I agree on this but really Jagnutz? You supported Trudeau in that)
Nearly one in three households in Atlantic Canada relies on home heating oil, and the carve-out to the government's signature climate policy came after Liberal MPs in the region raised concerns about the rising cost of living….which was visibly blatant to anybody with an IQ over 70.
Trudeau and Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault have ruled out making any further exceptions…
then they quietly gave the northern territories an exemption on heating with diesel fuel, which is pretty much what they’ve got to use that they import from the south…but Shhhhhhh…
That's despite demands from Western premiers, like Saskatchewan's Scott Moe, who say households that use natural gas should get the same break.
Moe is among a majority of provincial leaders, including lone Liberal Premier Andrew Furey of Newfoundland and Labrador, who are asking Trudeau to convene a meeting to discuss alternatives to the consumer carbon price, etc…