Alberta Premier Rachel Notley鈥檚 climate change plan appeared to be the star of the show as the premiers and territorial leaders jointly met with the prime minister for the first time in nearly seven years.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau , in between an afternoon gathering and a working dinner, that world leaders he met on recent overseas trips were pressing him on what Canada is doing to fight climate change ahead of the COP 21 Paris climate change conference next week.
鈥淲e had a strong signal yesterday about how Canadians right across the country are looking to do their part,鈥� Trudeau said, before commending Notley for what he called 鈥渁 strong positive step in the right direction.鈥�
Notley then gave a brief summary of the plan she revealed Sunday, which includes a phased-in $30/tonne carbon tax, a hard cap on oil sands emissions starting in 2017, and the ending of coal powered electricity generation by 2030.
鈥淐anada is one of the world鈥檚 principal energy producers,鈥� 鈥淥ur goal should be to become one of the world鈥檚 most progressive and forward-looking energy producers.鈥�
British Columbia Premier Christy Clark later told reporters she was 鈥渞eally pleased鈥� with Alberta鈥檚 choice of a wide-ranging carbon tax regime similar to the one B.C. implemented in 2008.
鈥淚 think Alberta following British Columbia on that really helps us make the case that Canadians do care about climate change,鈥� Clark said, adding that B.C. is proof it can be achieved while keeping the economy growing.
Clark said Canada has a 鈥渟tory to tell鈥� about success fighting climate change and the COP 21 summit is 鈥渁 chance to reset the brand.鈥�
Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne echoed Clark, telling reporters Alberta鈥檚 announcement was 鈥渆xtremely important鈥� and that it helps Canada 鈥済o now to Paris 鈥� with a very strong story to tell.鈥�
鈥淓ven with all of the work that Ontario and Quebec and British Columbia had done, there was always a question of where Alberta was going to fit into that story,鈥� said Wynne.
Ontario and Quebec have committed to a cap-and-trade plan to reduce emissions. Ontario also managed to fully eliminate coal powered electricity generation by 2014, although not without complaints about growing electricity bills.
As expected, Wynne said that the premiers and Trudeau did not agree to a national target on climate change emissions reductions at their afternoon meeting.
Trudeau has promised to meet with the first ministers again within 90 days of Paris to hammer out the details.
Wynne also said there were more questions than answers about the federal government鈥檚 Syrian refugees resettlement plan -- the other main topic on the agenda -- but that she looked forward to hearing more on Tuesday.
Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard, meanwhile, also said that the Paris meeting presents an opportunity to 鈥渞ebrand鈥� Canada on 鈥渃limate change and energy."
"Not only are we an important producer of oil,鈥� he said, 鈥渂ut we're also the third largest producer of hydro-electricity in the world."
Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall said his province needs to do a better job fighting climate change, but be stressed the need for a delicate balance with economic needs.
鈥淎s we are meeting there are literally tens of thousands of Canadians who have been laid off in their jobs in this sector,鈥� Wall said at a final press conference late Monday. 鈥淪o as we prepare for Paris and to present a constructive and national front to the world, we need to be mindful of that fact. We need to work hard to ensure we鈥檙e doing no further harm to an industry that鈥檚 facing great difficultly. I don鈥檛 think those things are mutually exclusive.鈥�
Notley later told CTV Power Play that her carbon tax plan takes such economic concerns into account.
鈥淓very cent,鈥� she said, 鈥渨ill be recycled back into the economy, either through rebates to low and middle income consumers or through a variety of different programs.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檒l be frank,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e considered the possibility of having a piece of it go against the fiscal challenges we face in Alberta 鈥� and we decided that no, while the economy is in the situation it is now, every cent goes back in.鈥�
鈥淚 think, if anything, it will actually generate economic activity,鈥� she added.
Notley said the plan will 鈥渇latten鈥� the growth in emissions from Alberta and eventually start to reduce them, and she hopes the world takes notice.
鈥淲hether the price (of oil) recovers in two years or five years,鈥� she added, 鈥淚 think in the long-term the world is going to continue to need a responsibly developed oil and gas resource.鈥�
Mulcair calls for 鈥榟ard target鈥�
Going into the Paris talks, the Liberal government has said it will stick with the target proposed by Stephen Harper's previous Conservative government of a 30 per cent reduction below 2005 levels by 2030.
NDP Leader Tom Mulcair told reporters Tuesday that without 鈥渉ard targets,鈥� including 鈥渓egislation that sets down the obligation to report,鈥� then Canada will have 鈥渇ailed.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 one thing to say you want the provinces to be partners, which is great,鈥� Mulcair said.
鈥淏ut it鈥檚 Canada that鈥檚 going to be signing that deal, and it鈥檚 Canada that has the concrete obligation to provide a reduction in greenhouse gases,鈥� he added.
鈥淎ll of the rest, if you鈥檒l pardon me the expression, is just hot air.鈥�
With files from The Canadian Press
