Saskatchewan carbon-tax ruling a victory for the planet, environment minister says

OTTAWA — Federal environment minister Catherine McKenna is calling a Saskatchewan court decision in favour of the federal carbon tax a win for future generations.

In a 3-2 decision today, the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal found the federal Liberals’ carbon tax is constitutional, contrary to arguments made by lawyers for the Saskatchewan government that it interferes in provincial jurisdiction.

McKenna quickly turned the win into a political challenge, asking Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer and conservative premiers who oppose federal carbon pricing when they will “stop the partisan games and join in on serious and effective climate action.”

She says pricing pollution is a conservative tool, pioneered in Canada by Brian Mulroney in the fight against acid rain.

The tax still faces a parallel challenge in Ontario’s courts and the issue is almost certain to end up in the Supreme Court of Canada.

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McKenna says provinces shouldn’t be fighting the federal government on this issue.

The Canadian Press