Donald Trump’s win doesn’t change Canada’s carbon pricing plan: Trudeau

OTTAWA – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is suggesting it’s full steam ahead for his government’s environmental plan — including a national carbon price — despite a Donald Trump presidency that could recast America’s climate-change priorities.

Trudeau says Canadians and the world understand failing to fight climate change has a big economic downside, and he is defending carbon pricing as a means of fostering innovation and improving the economy.

READ MORE: Justin Trudeau speaks to president-elect Donald Trump, invites him to visit Canada

Since coming to power a year ago, Trudeau’s Liberal government has been in lock-step with the climate agenda of U.S. President Barack Obama.

Obama and Trudeau jointly announced major reductions in methane emissions last March during a state dinner at the White House, and later joined forces with Mexico on a broader North American climate and clean energy strategy.

WATCH: What impact will a conservative Trump presidency have on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s progressive agenda? Eric Sorensen looks into the possibility of chilly relations between the two leaders.

2:42 A Trump presidency and its effects on Trudeau’s agenda

But the new president-elect has suggested climate change is a hoax, wants America out of the Paris climate accord and plans to promote the exploration and development of fossil fuels, including coal.

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READ MORE: Donald Trump denies he called climate change a hoax

Trudeau announced last month that he’d impose a national floor price on carbon dioxide emissions starting in 2018 and rising to $50 per tonne by 2022.

“One of the things people in Canada and indeed around the world understand is that there is tremendous economic disadvantage from not acting in the fight against climate change.

“For not pushing towards cleaner jobs and reducing emissions; towards not showing leadership at time where the world is looking for leadership,” the prime minister said Friday in Sydney, N.S.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "One of the things people in Canada and indeed around the world understand is that there is tremendous economic disadvantage from not acting in the fight against climate change.</p><p>"For not pushing towards cleaner jobs and reducing emissions; towards not showing leadership at time where the world is looking for leadership," the prime minister said Friday in Sydney, N.S.

1:14 Trudeau expects ‘respect’ as Canada now prepares to ‘work’ with President-elect Trump

• Trudeau expects ‘respect’ as Canada now prepares to ‘work’ with President-elect Trump
• How will Donald Trump’s win impact Canadians?
• Will provinces make the new carbon tax revenue neutral?

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“We know that putting a price on carbon pollution is a way to improve our response to economic challenges, to create good jobs going forward and to show leadership that quite frankly the entire world is looking for, along with the solutions that go with it.”

READ MORE: Donald Trump wins the ‘most miserable’ election result for fighting climate change, scientists say

Trudeau’s congratulatory press release Wednesday said the prime minister looked forward to working with the new Trump administration on a number of joint policy areas, but neglected to cite the environment.

WATCH: Breaking down the meaning of a carbon tax 

2:50 Breaking down the meaning of a carbon tax