WINNIPEG -- Premier Brian Pallister suggested a Manitoba carbon tax could be back on the table.
Following a meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Pallister says dialogue on another green plan will take place with the federal government.
“I would think it’s fair to say there’s going to be a dialogue between the province and the federal government in respect of our Made-in-Manitoba Green Plan, and that dialogue will include a carbon price of some kind, and we’ll have that discussion in the not-too-distant future, together,” says Pallister.
The premier says he’s willing to talk pricing, but wants the federal government to better respect Manitoba’s green record and future plans.
The premier pulled Manitoba’s $25-per-tonne plan off the table after Ottawa refused to budge on an escalating scale to $50 per tonne.
The Trudeau government then imposed the tax on the province which includes rebates.
Manitoba is suing the federal government over the issue.
BOWMAN CALLS FOR GREATER COLLABORATION ON SAFETY
As for Trudeau's meeting with Mayor Brian Bowman, while no concrete announcements or commitments were made, Bowman said he was able to raise issues of infrastructure and public safety.
Bowman said he updated the prime minister on the progress of the North End Sewage Treatment Plant, adding there has still been no financial commitment from the provincial or federal governments on the $1.8-billion project.
"I know in conversations with the prime minister and his cabinet, it’s a project that is of particular interest and concern to them, and I wanted to let them know what our status is of the ongoing work that we're doing and leading on, but we do need provincial and federal partners to step up with some funding to complete it."
The other item Bowman discussed with Trudeau is public safety, specifically regarding recommendations made by the Illicit Drug Strategy Task Force.
He said in the past, Winnipeg has looked to the federal government to crack down on security at the boarder to stop the flow of meth coming into Canada, as well as to invest in recreation for communities.
Bowman said during his meeting, he did not call for any specifics from the federal government, rather he asked that all levels of government "take stock" of the steps taken so far.
"We know a lot more work needs to be done to combat the effect of illicit drugs in our community," Bowman said. "The more that we can coordinate all of our investment and actions when it relates to public safety as well as dealing with the root causes of crime; we're going to get better results."
Bowman said he did not bring up his recent calls for a national handgun ban with the prime minister.
Trudeau said he is willing to partner with Bowman to address these issues.
"There's a lot of work that we can and will continue to do together, you've been a great voice around the big-city mayor's table – a strong leader across the country on really important issues for everyone and it's great to be with you again," the prime minister said.
Trudeau is in Winnipeg for a three-day cabinet retreat, which began on Sunday. The location of the event is meant to continue the healing process between Trudeau’s government and those in the West who feel alienated, following the 2019 federal election that left the Liberals without representation in Alberta and Saskatchewan and handed them losses in Manitoba.
-with files from CTV's Danton Unger
