WINNIPEG — Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister says he is seeking a legal opinion on whether the federal government can impose a carbon-pricing system on the provinces.
Pallister says he is concerned the federal plan does not give Manitoba credit for the investments it has made over the decades in clean energy.
“We will participate in action on climate change but we will introduce a made-in-Manitoba climate change plan that addresses our unique environmental circumstance,” he said.
“We’ve done our part.”
Manitoba uses hydro for virtually all of its electricity, and Pallister says that has helped keep the province’s emissions at 21 megatonnes — about half what it would be if fossil fuels were used for electrical generation.
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The federal government wants provinces to start phasing in carbon pricing up to 50 dollars a tonne by 2022 or develop a cap and trade system — something the premier calls a “one size fits all” solution.
Pallister says he is seeking a legal opinion on whether the federal government has the constitutional right to limit provinces to those two options.
The province plans to roll out its own climate change plan in the coming weeks that was built with individuals and companies in Manitoba.
READ MORE: Manitoba rules out cap-and-trade on emissions
Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall has already threatened to challenge the carbon pricing plan in court.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said if provinces don’t start phasing in carbon pricing, he will do it for them.
Manitoba and Saskatchewan are the only provinces that didn’t sign on to the federal government’s carbon price plan in December.
–With files from Global News
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