A split Saskatchewan Court of Appeal ruled on Friday in favour of the federal government’s carbon tax, deeming it constitutional.
Some in Saskatchewan are faithful the carbon tax fight isn’t over yet.
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said he will be appealing the decision to the Supreme Court of Canada.
A Yellow Vests rally held on Saturday had over 50 vehicles adorned with flags and signs convoy through the city of Saskatoon. The lineup of cars and trucks spent almost two hours parading by police escort to make their voices heard.
Patrick King has been involved with five Yellow Vest rallies across the country from Nisku to Ottawa. He said Friday’s announcement doesn’t sit well with him.
“We have the opportunity to say no to the federal government, not pay it and hold no penalties,” he said. “We are independent provinces without belonging to the federal government.”
The province has been making the argument that applying carbon tax to Saskatchewan is provincial jurisdiction, not to be applied by the federal government. It has also been argued the federal price is a tax and not a regulatory charge as Ottawa has previously said.
Yellow Vests rallies have been held across the country over the past six months to be a voice for change. King wants people to know they’re holding the convoy’s peacefully and want to encourage conversations around a number of issues.
“We just want to inform people on an even plane and engage in good dialogue,” he said. “Whether it’s for or against, let’s start communicating.”
The Yellow Vests movement originally started in France as a grassroots movement in the fall of 2018 to represent unity against government policies. The Canadian protests have been smaller in size compared to France where they’ve seen thousands of people marching at rallies.
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