by Clare Marie Merkowsky, August 10, 2023, LifeSiteNews
The federal government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is threatening to withhold billions of taxpayer dollars in funding for provinces which continue to use natural resources such as oil, gas and coal past the year 2035.
On August 8, Minister of Natural Resources Jonathan Wilkinson published “Powering Canada Forward” which proposed denying funds to provinces that refuse to switch from natural resources to electricity by 2035, despite both Saskatchewan and Alberta explaining that this goal is “impossible.”
addresses Canadian Club Toronto, October 25, 2022
Photo: CPAC YouTube
“The federal government is working to implement its new funding commitments in partnership with provinces and territories, and in a way that supports affordable net-zero electricity across Canada,” the document states.
While the proposal is phrased as providing funding and tax benefits to provinces that comply with the new electricity regulations, it essentially bars provinces that choose to use natural resources from receiving billions in government funding.
The publication promises compliant provinces with benefits such as a 15 percent investment tax credit and a $3 billion fund for so-called renewable energy.
“The federal government will make these tools available to provinces and territories that take concrete action to achieve net zero,” the document reads.
“This includes demonstrating a commitment to use federal funding to lower electricity bills for households and businesses, and a commitment to achieve a net-zero electricity sector, which will apply to the Clean Electricity Investment Tax Credit and potentially to other federal instruments,” it continued.
Alberta Environment and Protected Areas Minister Rebecca Schulz roundly condemned the federal government for their threats, writing, ”Today, the federal government threatened to withhold funding unless Alberta agreed to their unrealistic and costly 2035 net-zero target.”
“We will not agree to any target that will drive up power bills and compromise the integrity of our power grid,” she promised.
Today, the federal government threatened to withhold funding unless Alberta agreed to their unrealistic and costly 2035 net-zero target.
We will not agree to any target that will drive up power bills and compromise the integrity of our power grid.
My full statement: pic.twitter.com/eqiclS9SzB
Rebecca Schulz (@rebeccakschulz) August 8, 2023
Similarly, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe bashed the suggestion of withholding taxpayer dollars from provinces that refuse to shut down their natural resource plants.
“Saskatchewan and Alberta are driving the Canadian economy,” he wrote. “Saskatchewan and Alberta receive nothing from equalization, while other provinces get billions.”
“And now, the Trudeau government is threatening to further penalize Saskatchewan and Alberta for not meeting their impossible net-zero electricity targets,” he charged.
“What kind of a national government acts like this?” Moe questioned. “It’s divisive, destructive and dangerous.”
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith voiced her support for Moe, writing, “I couldn’t agree more with Premier Scott Moe. Ottawa’s unrealistic net-zero targets and recent escalation is completely unnecessary. It’s time for the feds to face reality and work with us on pragmatic solutions.”
I couldn’t agree more with Premier Scott Moe.
Ottawa’s unrealistic net-zero targets and recent escalation is completely unnecessary. It’s time for the feds to face reality and work with us on pragmatic solutions. https://t.co/slQVIV0DAb
Premier Danielle Smith (@ABDanielleSmith) August 9, 2023
This is hardly the first time that the Trudeau government has targeted Alberta and Saskatchewan for placing their province’s well-being above the claims of climate alarmists.
In May, Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault declared that violating environmental regulations banning the use of coal and gas-fired power after 2035 could result in criminal sanctions days after Moe stated that his province would continue to run their plants.
In 2022, Moe blasted Trudeau’s environmental policy goals, stating that a “fossil fuel phase-out by 2035″ is “going to make for an awfully cold house in Saskatoon on Jan. 1, 2036.”
In June, Smith condemned the Trudeau government’s “Sustainable Jobs Act,” reaffirming her past promise to defend her “province’s constitutional jurisdiction” over its “natural resources” and “energy workforce.”
The Trudeau government’s current environmental goals – in lockstep with the United Nations’ “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” – include phasing out coal-fired power plants, reducing fertilizer usage, and curbing natural gas use over the coming decades.
The reduction and eventual elimination of the use of so-called “fossil fuels” and a transition to unreliable “green” energy has also been pushed by the World Economic Forum (WEF) – the globalist group behind the socialist “Great Reset” agenda – an organization which Trudeau and some of his cabinet are involved.
While Trudeau’s plan has been pushed under the guise of “sustainability,” his intention to decrease nitrous oxide emissions by limiting the use of fertilizer has been criticized by farmers. They say this will reduce profits and could even lead to food shortages.
Moreover, experts are warning that the Trudeau government’s new “clean fuel” regulations, which come into effect next year, will cost Canadian workers – many of whom are already struggling under decades-high inflation rates – an average $1,277 extra annually.
Two of the latest Twitter exchanges between Premier Danielle Smith and federal Minster of Environment, Steven Guilbeault
Hi @s_guilbeault – here’s a graph of several critical points last winter where we barely had enough power to keep our homes and businesses running. Note the near 0 wind and solar. Natural gas power kept us all warm and alive that day. Are you understanding Alberta’s situation… https://t.co/0cgG0fe3R3 pic.twitter.com/Pv3OKgnFlU
— Danielle Smith (@ABDanielleSmith) August 12, 2023
Hi @s_guilbeault, your regulations ban natural gas “peaker” plants by 2035 unless they only run 450 hours per year (that’s 18 days) and can only have minimal emissions- who on earth is going to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in efficient natural gas facilities that run… https://t.co/jCs7PkiApo
— Danielle Smith (@ABDanielleSmith) August 12, 2023
Wind Concerns is a collaboration of citizens of the Lakeland Alberta region against proposed wind turbine projects.