Rural Economic Development Minister Gudie Hutchings says if Western and Prairie provinces want to secure carve-outs in the federal government鈥檚 carbon pricing policy, they should elect more Liberal ministers who can share their concerns with the government.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced major changes to the Liberals鈥� marquee climate policy this week, namely that the Canadian government is doubling the carbon rebate for rural households 鈥� from 10 per cent to 20 per cent 鈥� and implementing a three-year pause to the federal carbon price on heating oil.

Trudeau also announced the federal government will be rolling out new incentives to make it more affordable to transition to electric heat pumps, with a pilot project in Atlantic Canada that includes an upfront payment of $250 for eligible households, and an affordability program in partnership with the provinces.

Hutchings told CTV鈥檚 Question Period host Vassy Kapelos in an interview airing Sunday that Canadians living in rural parts of the country know first hand what it鈥檚 like to feel the impacts of climate change, from flooding, to droughts and fires.

鈥淲e know there's an issue with climate change,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 just wish every party realized there was an issue with climate change.

鈥淪ince day one, our focus has been solid,鈥� she added. 鈥淲e want to protect the environment, we're going to combat climate change, and we're going to be there for people.鈥�

Hutchings also said the 鈥渙verall message鈥� of Trudeau鈥檚 announcement this week is about 鈥減utting more money in people鈥檚 pockets鈥� and reducing carbon footprints.

But when pressed repeatedly on the timing of the prime minister鈥檚 announcement coinciding with slumping polling numbers for the Liberals in Atlantic Canada since the carbon price was introduced in that part of the country, Hutchings said 鈥渢his isn鈥檛 about polls, this is about people.鈥�

Polling from Abacus Data shows the Liberals losing six points in Atlantic Canada from June to September, after the carbon price came into effect, while the Conservatives gained 11 points in that same timeframe.

And when asked whether the federal government is looking into carve outs in the policy for people outside of Atlantic Canada, or for other types of home heating, Hutchings said it depends on the success of the new pilot project.

鈥淭hat's a discussion that we'll have down the road when we know that this one is working, but I can tell you Atlantic Caucus was vocal with what they've heard from their constituents, and perhaps they need to elect more Liberals in the Prairies so that we can have that conversation as well,鈥� she said.

When asked whether she believes it鈥檚 fair that people in Western Canada will have to live a more unaffordable life than Atlantic Canadians if they are not represented to the same extent around the cabinet table, Hutchings added the doubling of the rural rebate will apply to all rural Canadians across the country, and that it was the Atlantic caucus that 鈥渃ame with these options,鈥� presenting them to the prime minister and cabinet.

鈥淲e're always open to conversations to help all Canadians on the affordability issue, and especially when it is reducing the carbon footprint,鈥� Hutchings said. 鈥淭hat's what we have to do for all families.鈥�

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has been a vocal opponent of the Liberals鈥� carbon pricing policy, holding 鈥渁xe the tax鈥� rallies across Canada in the last several months, and characterizing Trudeau鈥檚 announcement this week as a panicked 鈥渇lip-flop.鈥�

Poilievre has yet to unveil his party鈥檚 climate policy, but when asked this week to expand on his broad pledge to pursue technology, not taxes, to reduce emissions, he said if he was prime minister he would "greenlight green projects," citing nuclear reactors, hydroelectric dams, tidal wave power, and natural gas liquefaction projects, as examples.

With files from CTVNews.ca鈥檚 Senior Digital Parliamentary Reporter Rachel Aiello and CTV鈥檚 Question Period Senior Producer Stephanie Ha