Liberal leadership contenders are distancing themselves from carbon pricing amid rising Conservative opposition and public sentiment against it
The Liberals first introduced carbon pricing back in 2008, and it became a key part of their climate strategy after Trudeau took office in 2015. It officially kicked off in 2019 and has been a hot topic ever since, especially with the Conservatives constantly criticizing it.
Now, candidates like Chrystia Freeland, Karina Gould, and Mark Carney are all showing less enthusiasm for consumer carbon pricing. Freeland, who just kicked off her campaign, is even suggesting she might drop it entirely, saying Canadians aren’t on board with it. She still backs industrial carbon pricing, though.
An analysis from the Canadian Climate Institute found that Canada’s carbon price could help cut greenhouse gas emissions significantly by 2030, mainly through industrial pricing rather than consumer pricing. Freeland has defended the carbon policy in the past, but it seems the political winds are shifting.
Chris Ragan from McGill University thinks the candidates are distancing themselves from carbon pricing because the Conservatives are making headway against it. He believes they think this will help their chances in the leadership race or future elections.
Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre is framing the next election as a referendum on carbon pricing, and his party has been running ads attacking the Liberal candidates for their past support of the policy. Freeland’s team is pushing back, saying the Conservatives are just trying to score political points.
Ragan also mentioned that while the carbon pricing policy itself hasn’t changed, the way it’s been communicated has turned people off. He thinks it’s a solid policy but poorly explained.
Gould, who also launched her campaign recently, wants to freeze the carbon price instead of getting rid of it. She’s calling for an immediate halt to the planned increase. Just a few months ago, she was saying climate change is a huge threat, so it’s interesting to see her shift now.
Carney’s stance is a bit murky. He’s talked about the need for carbon pricing but also hinted at looking for alternatives. He believes if the carbon price goes, it needs to be replaced with something equally effective.
Overall, it seems like the Liberal leadership candidates are trying to navigate a tricky political landscape as they rethink their approach to carbon pricing.
