The federal Conservative leader is promising to repeal the entire carbon price law if his party forms government.
Pierre Poilievre said the move would apply to the carbon price paid by consumers, as well as businesses and industry.
“Provinces can continue to have the freedom to address this issue how they like, but there will be no federal obligation to impose the tax,” Poilievre said during a news conference on Monday.
The announcement came after Prime Minister Mark Carney said Friday that he plans to pause the carbon price paid by consumers.
An order-in-council published over the weekend sets the “applicable fuel charge rates for all types of fuel and combustible waste to zero” as of April 1.
Poilievre claims the prime minister is hiding the carbon tax so the Liberals can win a fourth term, adding there is nothing stopping him from bringing it back later on.
The Conservative leader also criticized Carney for only lowering the carbon tax on consumers and not on businesses and industry.
“While the Liberals tax businesses who use energy, Conservatives will cut taxes and boost incentives for those who bring down emissions,” said Poilievre.
Poilievre said they would expand eligibility for the clean technology and manufacturing investment tax credits.
In addition, he said heavy industries that make products with lower emissions than the world average would be rewarded.
The Conservative leader was also asked if his party would commit to any kind of emissions target if he becomes prime minister.
“I treat this as a global problem. By bringing home production from more polluting foreign jurisdictions, we reduce global emissions while growing our own paycheques,” said Poilievre.
“I don’t think it is an achievement to shut down a Canadian steel mill and then see one open up in China that produces 10 or 20 times more emissions for each unit of steel.”
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