Carbon price pause call from Nfld. premier about ‘political pressure’: Trudeau

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says that he believes Liberal Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey is “(bowing) to political pressure” as he calls for a pause on the carbon price increase.

“I think Mr. Furey continues to bow to political pressure. I think Canadians in Newfoundland and Labrador and right across the country expect their governments to do the right thing,” Trudeau said at a press conference in Montreal on Friday.

“And the right thing, right now, is not just fighting climate change and spurring innovation for the future, it’s about being there to support Canadians during this affordability crisis and the Canada Carbon Rebate helps out 80 per cent of Canadians with more money than they pay in terms of a price on pollution.”

On Tuesday, Furey posted a letter on X that he sent to Trudeau calling for a pause on the April 1 carbon price increase, citing cost of living and affordability concerns.

Furey wrote that the increase from $65 a tonne to $80 is causing “understandable worry as people consider how they will manage the mounting financial strain.”

In an emailed response Friday, Furey’s communications director Meghan McCabe said the premier believes in the importance of mitigating climate change and has always been clear that he believes the carbon price “is not the appropriate instrument to mitigate climate change at this time.”

“As outlined in his letters to the federal government, Canadians – particularly in more rural areas, like Newfoundland and Labrador – cannot immediately access alternatives such as an electric vehicle or public transit system,” McCabe wrote.

“On top of that, families are already burdened by inflationary pressures at this time. The federal government’s rebate does not fully account