Premier awaits ‘Game 7’ decision on carbon tax

The Supreme Court of Canada is to rule on the controversial carbon tax Thursday.

The issue of whether that tax is constitutional has weaved its way through the highest courts of several provinces after it was first floated by Justin Trudeau in 2015 on the campaign trail.

Shortly after Trudeau came into power, he announced the plan for that tax to be imposed and increased on provinces who did not have a plan that met federal requirements.

Scott Moe was Saskatchewan’s environment minister in 2016. When the details of the carbon tax came to light in a meeting with other ministers and then-federal Environment Minister Catherine McKenna, Moe walked out.

Two years later, Moe became the premier and the carbon tax was still top of mind.

“Justin Trudeau, if you are wondering how far I will go, just watch me,” Moe said in his victory speech.

In 2019, the tax was implemented. Then it was quickly taken to court.

In a 3-2 decision, the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal ruled the tax was constitutional. Moe likened the split decision in May that year to that of a seven-game series.

“This is Game 1, and we were unsuccessful in Game 1 … The end of this playoffs will ultimately be decided in Game 7, which will be the Supreme Court of Canada,” Moe said.

Ontario’s highest appeal court ruled 4-1 the tax was constitutional as well. But Alberta’s top court ruled 4-1 against the tax.

That set up appeals taking the matter to the country’s highest court. Last September, provinces argued the tax encroaches on provincial jurisdiction. The federal government said climate change is of national concern, a big and wide enough problem to justify the tax.

“No one in this nation should confuse climate action with a carbon tax. The two are very, very separate,” Moe has said, also calling the tax “ineffective”.

The decision is set to come down at 7:45 a.m. Saskatchewan time.