Trudeau says Sask. premier is fighting CRA on carbon tax, wishes him 'good luck with that'

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe's decision to stop collecting and remitting carbon taxes on natural gas has put him in direct conflict with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).

«I don't know about you, but having an argument with CRA about not wanting to pay your taxes is not a position I want anyone to be in. Good luck with that, Premier Moe,» Trudeau said in Oakville, Ont. on Wednesday.

Moe announced in late October that SaskEnergy, the provincial natural gas utility, would stop collecting the carbon charge on natural gas starting Jan. 1, 2024. The province later said SaskPower would do the same for electricity used to heat homes.

In November, the province passed a law making it the registered distributor of natural gas in the province. On Feb. 20, the CRA agreed to a request from the Saskatchewan government to make it the distributor, rather than SaskEnergy. After that date the province said it would stop remitting the tax to the federal government.

Moe's moves came after the federal government announced it would exempt home heating oil from the carbon tax for three years. The fuel is commonly used for home heating in Atlantic Canada.

Moe said the move created «two classes of taxpayers» because it «effectively excludes Saskatchewan.»

Trudeau repeated his position Wednesday that his government will not cut the carbon tax rebate Saskatchewan residents get from the federal government for paying those taxes.

He said that to try and claw back that money by cutting the rebates would punish Saskatchewan residents for Moe's «ideological opposition to fighting climate change and putting more money in pockets of Saskatchewan families.»

«CRA is an independent organization that is very, very good at