Poilievre turns to Parliament to force Trudeau to meet with premiers on the carbon tax

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is asking MPs to compel Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to sit down with the premiers to discuss the federal carbon tax at a first ministers’ meeting.

Poilievre tabled a motion in the House of Commons that demands Trudeau “convene a carbon tax emergency meeting” with Canada’s 13 provincial and territorial leaders to address the “ongoing carbon tax crisis and the financial burden it places on Canadians.”

It also asks that Trudeau accept “plans for provinces to opt-out of the federal carbon tax to pursue other responsible ideas to lower emissions” — an ongoing request of some premiers who maintain they can fight climate change in their jurisdictions through measures other than a tax.

Trudeau has so far rebuffed calls to meet with the premiers on the issue.

Last week, in an interview with CBC Radio’s The Current, Trudeau said he met with the premiers in 2016 and a pan-Canadian climate change plan was agreed to then. The plan included a price of carbon designed to drive down the country’s emissions.

He repeated that line in question period Tuesday, saying the provinces agreed to go ahead with a carbon pricing regime eight years ago.

The Conservatives countered by pointing out that Trudeau is the only leader from that long-ago meeting still in power.

“Pokémon Go, dabbing, Harambe — that’s what was popular in 2016,” Conservative deputy leader Melissa Lantsman said.

Poilievre accuses Trudeau of dodging the premiers

Speaking to reporters on Parliament Hill Tuesday, Poilievre said Trudeau is dodging a face-to-face with the premiers because he’s “too scared.”

“Trudeau is in hiding. Do you blame him? He’s losing the debate. Canadians want to axe the tax. There is going to be a carbon tax election and whether Trudeau hides from me or not, he’s going to have to face me in a carbon tax election,” he said.

Later in the Commons, Poilievre touted the premiers’ meeting as a chance to force the federal government to change course.

“Let’s grant relief to our people now,” he said.

“Everybody understands that tax is driving people to the food bank. Will [the prime minister] agree to a televised carbon tax conference if he’s so sure of himself on this issue?” Poilievre asked of Trudeau.