For a place that doesn’t even have a carbon tax yet, the Premier has made a lot of noise about the issue.
Again last week, he sat shoulder to shoulder with provincial premiers fighting the federal carbon pricing plan in court.
The fact there’s no carbon tax in the NWT isn’t due to any successful lobbying campaign, but rather due to the Premier’s own government’s poor planning. The GNWT had to request an extension from the federal government until September 1.
Just now, the government is getting its act together to plan a public meeting around carbon pricing.
The Standing Committee on Government Operations is looking for feedback on Bills 42 and 43, which will make the necessary legal changes to introduce carbon pricing in the NWT.
The Department of Finance has posted some information on its website about the territorial carbon pricing plan, but details are scant. For example, the page says the plan includes, “Establishing rebate program for large GHG emitters to partly offset the impact of carbon pricing and to incent investments to reduce GHG emissions.” However, there is no mention of who constitutes large emitters, what the rebate program may entail and what kind of investment in greenhouse gas emissions may be required.
In a news release, committee Chair Kieron Testart said, “We are pleased to have this additional information. However, Committee is still not comfortable that it has a full picture of the impacts of the GNWT’s proposed approach on NWT residents as compared with the federal backstop, that would enable us to adequately answer questions from the public on these Finance-sponsored Bills.”
Rather than wait for answers from the department of finance, the committee is reaching out to residents to write in with questions or concerns about the carbon tax.
There will also be a public meeting on August 1, at 7 p.m. in Committee Room ‘A’ on the second floor of the Legislative Assembly. To submit your comments or for further information, contact Glen Rutland, deputy clerk of the house procedures committee at (867) 767-9130 ext. 12025, or Glen_Rutland@gov.nt.ca