David Raymond Amos @DavidRayAmos
Replying to @DavidRayAmos @FloryGoncalves and 49 others
"Content disabled"
Methinks its too bad so sad for old shills that most of my comments
within the CBC forum since 2015 were saved elsewhere before they went
"Poof" about two weeks ago N'esy Pas?https://davidraymondamos3.blogspot.com/2019/10/higgs-may-create-his-own-carbon-tax-in.html
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/blaine-higgs-throne-speech-vote-1.5378219
Blaine Higgs's minority government survives throne speech vote
People's Alliance support the PC government, the Liberals and Greens vote against the throne speech
CBC News · Posted: Nov 29, 2019 12:37 PM AT
Premier Blaine Higgs's minority government had the support of the People's Alliance when the legislature voted 24-22 to pass the throne speech. (CBC)
The minority government of Progressive Conservative Premier Blaine Higgs has survived another confidence vote.
MLAs voted 24-22 in favour of a motion supporting the agenda the provincial government laid out in its speech from the throne on Nov. 19.
The vote broke down along party lines, with 21 PC MLAs and three People's Alliance members supporting the government and 19 Liberals and three Greens voting against.
Had the vote gone against the government, it would have triggered a provincial election.
People's
Alliance Leader Kris Austin said his party was keeping the promise it
made after last year's election to support the PCs on confidence votes
for 18 months — and may opt to extend that.
"We're going to follow through with that," he said.
"Frankly, I think the throne speech was kind of in line with a lot of things we've been pushing for, so we're willing to support them further."
Green MLA Megan Mitton said there were elements of the PC agenda she supported, but she voted against the speech over the government's approach to labour relations and climate change.
She also said the government hasn't lived up to its promise last year to consult opposition parties on its agenda.
MLAs voted 24-22 in favour of a motion supporting the agenda the provincial government laid out in its speech from the throne on Nov. 19.
The vote broke down along party lines, with 21 PC MLAs and three People's Alliance members supporting the government and 19 Liberals and three Greens voting against.
Had the vote gone against the government, it would have triggered a provincial election.
"We're going to follow through with that," he said.
"Frankly, I think the throne speech was kind of in line with a lot of things we've been pushing for, so we're willing to support them further."
Green MLA Megan Mitton said there were elements of the PC agenda she supported, but she voted against the speech over the government's approach to labour relations and climate change.
She also said the government hasn't lived up to its promise last year to consult opposition parties on its agenda.
CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices
64 Comments
Commenting is now closed for this story.
David Amos
Methinks this should be no surprise to anyone because the PANB told us what the score would be over a week ago N'esy Pas?
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/nb-higgs-throne-speech-1.5364538
"The Tories hold only 21 of 49 seats in the legislature and have been relying on the three People's Alliance MLAs to hold the confidence of the house and pass legislation.
But Alliance Leader Kris Austin has promised to back the Tories only until next March's budget, which makes today's throne speech a key moment. He's been pushing Higgs to move faster on reforms.
Austin said Tuesday he'd like to see more action on tax reform, bilingualism and other issues, but he's not yet ready to extend his support for the PCs beyond next spring.
"I'm optimistic we can continue to work together to improve the lives of New Brunswickers, but it's a two-part relationship," he said. "It depends on what the government does, what they bring forward and what we can accomplish with them."
Johnny Horton
Reply to @David Amos:
Maybe but That certsinly wasn’t your tune even as little as two weeks ago.
Maybe but That certsinly wasn’t your tune even as little as two weeks ago.
David Amos
Content disabled
Reply to @David Amos:
Methinks the PANB boss must hear that old shill still crowing from the
top of only tree left in that clearcut outside of Fat Fred City I bet
they both love the Irving Clan's new bill boards N'esy Pas?
David Amos
Content disabled
Reply to @David Amos:
Methinks its too bad so sad for old shills that most of my comments
within this forum since 2015 were saved elsewhere before they went
"Poof" about two weeks ago N'esy Pas?
David Amos
Reply to @David Amos: Say Hey to Chucky, Jesse and Darrow Baby for me will ya?
Johnny Horton
Surprise surprise Amos got it wrong again, nestle tea?
Marguerite Deschamps
Reply to @Johnny Horton: King Cole, the best!
Lewis Taylor
Reply to @Johnny Horton:
Has Amos ever got it right? Menothinks!
Has Amos ever got it right? Menothinks!
Johnny Horton
Reply to @Lewis Taylor:
Even a broken clock is correct once in a while. Wait! Do clocks even still exist in this digital age?!
Even a broken clock is correct once in a while. Wait! Do clocks even still exist in this digital age?!
David Amos
Reply to @Marguerite Deschamps: Methinks your strange friends don't know how to read N'esy Pas?
David Amos
Reply to @David Amos: Methinks its too bad so sad that I am not permitted to reply to your fellow shills N'esy Pas?
Rock Ouellette
Care for the province..? you mean Austin the puppet cares for the power he thinks he have...but he's loosing respect every time!
David Amos
Reply to @Rock Ouellette: YUP
John Haigh
I wouldn't consult the Liberals for lunch destination ideas.
Kevin Cormier
Reply to @John Haigh: I heard the cafeteria in the basement of the Legislature has good meals.
David Amos
Reply to @Kevin Cormier: Methinks that may be why so many of them are fat dumb and happy N'esy Pas?
Dianne MacPherson
The MLAs who voted for this Confidence Motion
are the ones who care about this Province and its future !!!!!
All the rest had their own agendas !!!
Eugene Peabody
Reply to @Dianne
MacPherson: Do you also write comedy skits for This Hour Has 22 Minutes ?
That was good for my chuckle of the day.
David Amos
Reply to @Eugene Peabody: Welcome to the Circus
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/nb-higgs-throne-speech-1.5364538
Throne speech promises major reforms to health care, education and local government
Lt.-Gov. Brenda Murphy delivers the PC Higgs government's 2nd, possibly last, throne speech
· CBC News · Posted: Nov 19, 2019 9:33 AM AT
New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs will have to persuade the People's Alliance, or at least one other party, to vote with his government on measures in his second throne speech if he is to avoid losing a confidence vote before the session ends. (CBC)
After a year of triage and Band-Aids to treat New Brunswick's ailing economy, the Progressive Conservative government says it will now shift to stronger medicine.
The government's new speech from the throne is promising to follow through on major reforms to health care, education and local government during the new session of the legislature.
"The status quo is no longer an option," according to the speech drafted by the government and delivered Tuesday afternoon by new Lt.-Gov. Brenda Murphy. "There are many challenges facing our province. If we are to overcome them, we must face those issues head on."
Premier Blaine Higgs's first session was dominated by fixes to festering problems such as soaring WorkSafeNB premiums and staffing shortages at Ambulance New Brunswick.
Attention for ER wait times
But this speech promises movement on broader concerns.
There's a commitment to "enhance" hospital emergency departments in Fredericton, Saint John and Moncton to "improve care for patients with urgent but not life-threatening conditions," while reducing ER wait times for all patients.
And there's a promise to amend legislation to force communities around Saint John to help pay for the capital and operating costs of regional facilities in the city.
The government will also encourage municipalities to share more services regionally.
But there's no mention of legislation to respond to the request by the eight cities in the province to amend binding arbitration rules so that the potential cost of contracts to municipalities is taken into account.
Lt.-Gov. Brenda Murphy delivered the throne speech on Tuesday afternoon. (CBC)
Moncton Mayor Dawn Arnold said Monday night that her understanding was that the government would introduce legislation this month.
Higgs told reporters after the speech that the legislation is coming now that all eight cities have voted to request it.
"That was our commitment to them, and they've fulfilled their commitment," he said.
The speech avoids discussion of potential spending cuts to services, though it warns that "the government is reviewing programs and services to ensure they provide demonstrable value for taxpayers."
There are also commitments to revisit some unfinished business from the previous session:
- The speech says legislation is coming to amend the Essential Services in Nursing Homes Act to comply with a court ruling that the previous version of the act violated collective bargaining rights. That comes as the province's standoff with the union representing nursing home workers drags on. Higgs said he wants to get the legislation passed before the Christmas break.
- The government is promising to ensure "immunization requirements will be enforced in the public school and early-learning and child-care systems," but Higgs said the bill will be "a little different" from the version last session, with some kind of process to assess requests for non-medical exemptions.
- The speech says the Tories are "working to establish a carbon pricing system" through legislation that will "achieve fairness" relative to other Atlantic provinces. Higgs opposes the federal carbon tax but said after the Liberals won the Oct. 21 election that he'd develop a price that complies with federal standards. He told reporters the government has already submitted a proposal to Ottawa.
- There's also a commitment to appoint a new official languages commissioner and a new integrity commissioner, two positions that became vacant during the last session. The government was legally required to have a permanent languages commissioner in place by July but failed to appoint someone in time, leaving an interim commissioner in place.
Hundreds of protesters
A few hundred people gathered on the lawn of the legislature for the opening of the new session Tuesday to voice concerns on a variety of issues, including problems facing small farmers, access to abortions in the province, and the use of the controversial herbicide glyphosate.
Farmers brought chickens with them to protest against legislation that limits non-quota holders to 199 laying hens. Only 16 farms in New Brunswick hold the quota and are allowed to sell eggs
Chickens milled about the lawn of the legislature Tuesday, overseen by farmers protesting against legislation they say targets them. (CBC)
Other farms that want to sell eggs must stay under the 199 limit, which they argue isn't enough to cover the costs of production.
Abortion rights activists demonstrated over the impending closure of Clinic 554 in Fredericton. It is New Brunswick's only privately funded abortion clinic.
And a group of conservationists rallied in support of former Maritime College of Forest Technology instructor Rod Cumberland.
Rod Cumberland's supporters are calling for an investigation into the Maritime College of Forest Technology's decision to dismiss him. (CBC)
They allege Cumberland was fired because of his opposition to glyphosate spraying, not for misconduct, as the college has said.
Cumberland filed a lawsuit Monday against his former employer. College officials declined to comment.
Competing pressures
Higgs faces competing pressures to make bold changes but avoid controversy as he begins his second session of the legislature.
The Tories hold only 21 of 49 seats in the legislature and have been relying on the three People's Alliance MLAs to hold the confidence of the house and pass legislation.
But Alliance Leader Kris Austin has promised to back the Tories only until next March's budget, which makes today's throne speech a key moment. He's been pushing Higgs to move faster on reforms.
Austin said Tuesday he'd like to see more action on tax reform, bilingualism and other issues, but he's not yet ready to extend his support for the PCs beyond next spring.
"I'm optimistic we can continue to work together to improve the lives of New Brunswickers, but it's a two-part relationship," he said. "It depends on what the government does, what they bring forward and what we can accomplish with them."
I didn't come here to stay here. I came here to get a job done.
- Blaine Higgs, premierThe premier has said he doesn't want a snap election but isn't afraid of one either and will take the actions he considers necessary regardless of the political consequences.
"We'll make decisions that we believe are in the best interests of the province, and if that doesn't get the confidence of the house, what else we can we do?" Higgs said to reporters. "I didn't come here to stay here. I came here to get a job done."
The Liberals have 20 seats in the legislature, including Speaker Daniel Guitard and the Greens have three MLAs.
Liberal Leader Kevin Vickers said the speech fell short on commitments to rural New Brunswickers, people with low incomes, senior citizens and the northern part of the province.
"There's a general absence of care or thought for New Brunswickers," he said.
Green Leader David Coon said there were good initiatives in the speech, but in general "it comes up far short" on his party's priorities.
Two seats are vacant: St. Croix and Shediac Bay-Dieppe. Higgs must call byelections in both ridings by next spring.
About the Author
With files from Angela Bosse
135 Comments
Commenting is now closed for this story.
David Amos
Welcome to the Circus
David Amos
Reply to @David Amos: Will the PANB continue to support Higgy or not?
Survey Says?
Survey Says?
Joseph
Vacher
Reply to @David Amos:
Compared to a liberal government, i think they will always side with
the conservatives. i like the new demographic of power in NB. PANB and
Green are there to keep the other 2 parties in check it seems.
Stephen Long
Reply to @Joseph
Vacher: I agree but I wish the Greens and PANB would work together more
instead of being the antithesis of each other.
https://twitter.com/DavidRayAmos/with_replies
David Raymond Amos @DavidRayAmos
Replying to @DavidRayAmos @FloryGoncalves and 49 others
Methinks folks may enjoy the following blog by scrolling down to see the signed note the clowns sent me along with some treats before the election. Now they are running the local circus N'esy Pas?
davidraymondamos3.blogspot.com/2018/01/mr-hig
Enjoy
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/new-brunswick-carbon-tax-higgs-trudeau-1.5332588
Higgs may create his own carbon tax. Here are his options
Premier acknowledges election result means climate-plan obligations imposed on province will likely stay
· CBC News · Posted: Oct 24, 2019 7:00 AM AT
Premier Blaine Higgs says he may create his own carbon tax for New Brunswick, and there are several ways he could go about it. (CBC)
Stop for a minute and let this sink in: Premier Blaine Higgs, fiscal conservative, former oil executive and arch-foe of carbon taxes, is now saying he'll look at creating a carbon tax of his own.
Following Monday's election, which saw the federal Liberals hold on to power and win the popular vote in New Brunswick, Higgs acknowledged that Justin Trudeau's climate plan, and the obligations it imposes on provinces, will remain in place.
So now that the premier is looking at crafting a made-in-New Brunswick carbon price that would comply with Ottawa's requirements, what options does he have?
"I think the province has a lot of choices," said Louise Comeau, a climate-policy researcher at the University of New Brunswick.
Copy the Trudeau plan
Higgs's Progressive Conservative government could simply copy the federal backstop, which was imposed April 1 after the province refused to adopt its own carbon price.
The backstop adds 4.4 cents per litre plus HST at gas pumps. That amount will rise each year until it reaches 11 cents per litre in 2022.
It also includes a rebate of $256 for a New Brunswick family of four, which will also rise proportionately with the tax.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks to supporters at Liberal election headquarters in Montreal after learning the results of the federal election. (Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press)
But adopting an identical formula and calling it a provincial plan would contradict previous comments by Higgs and his environment minister that many New Brunswickers, including rural residents, can't afford it, even with the rebate.
In April, Jeff Carr described an elderly resident of his riding who "right now cannot afford her power bill." If she has to drive to Fredericton twice a week for medical appointments and has to pay the carbon tax, "she is not going to be able to survive for another year."
Try a shell game
Another option would be to put a provincial tax in place as required by Ottawa, then reduce the provincial gas tax by the same amount, meaning there'd be no net change to what consumers pay.
The problem with that model is it's precisely what former Liberal premier Brian Gallant did — and his federal allies rejected it last year because it didn't add any new cost to the consumption of fossil fuels, a key requirement.
Follow P.E.I.'s lead
Comeau said Higgs should "look east" for a carbon tax that can work for him.
Prince Edward Island's previous Liberal government did something similar to Gallant but with one seemingly minor but important twist.
It reduced its gas tax by three cents, less than the 4.4-cent carbon tax, leaving consumers with a net increase of slightly more than one cent per litre at the pumps.
That extra penny was enough to satisfy Ottawa that consumers were paying more, creating an incentive to reduce consumption.
Louise Comeau is a climate-policy researcher at the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton. (CBC)
It was a creative way of interpreting the federal requirement, but it allowed Ottawa to bring the province on board.
"They said, 'What do we have to do to get them in? And then we'll fix things as we go,'" Comeau said.
As the federal backstop increases, however, P.E.I.'s three-cent tax reduction will no longer be enough to negate its impact. And the arrangement is a temporary two-year deal that Ottawa may not be willing to extend, or to offer to New Brunswick.
"The feds showed flexibility, but I think it gets harder as you get further into the regime," Comeau said.
Implement a carbon tax, cut income taxes
The purest form of a carbon tax, according to economists, includes a corresponding reduction in government revenue through income tax cuts. There's still an incentive at the pumps to consume less gas, but citizens have more money in their pockets.
British Columbia used that model when it first introduced its carbon tax in 2008, and University of British Columbia economist Kevin Milligan said that by going his own way, Higgs is giving himself "a huge opportunity."
New Brunswick's aging population and high tax rate present "a real big challenge to New Brunswick," Milligan said, including the attraction of skilled workers and professionals such as doctors.
He said a Higgs-crafted carbon tax would allow the province "to ease back somewhat" on income taxes rather than sending out rebates. That would make the province a more attractive place to live, work and invest — something Ottawa's backstop doesn't do.
"You can imagine the provincial government being able to do a bit more of a fine-tuning that fits the needs of New Brunswick," he said.
Cap and trade
Another option for Higgs is to jettison the idea of a tax at the pumps and adopt a cap-and-trade system for emissions.
In such a regime, emitters earn credits if they stay below a government-established cap and can sell those credits to emitters exceeding the cap.
Quebec has such a system, and the Trudeau Liberals approved it as fulfilling their climate plan requirements — meaning no federal backstop in that province.
Glen Murray, the former Liberal environment minister in Ontario who helped design that province's cap-and-trade system, said he offered the Gallant government "all of the technical expertise and resources" his department had on cap-and-trade.
Murray said cap-and-trade's advantage is that emissions reductions are clearly measured and easy to see.
"What you get with cap-and-trade is reduction certainty. You'll be sure that you get your reductions."
And he said NB Power could earn credits for eliminating coal at the Belledune generating station, thus avoiding too much of an impact on power rates.
Join the Quebec system
Cap-and-trade systems are complex to administer, but New Brunswick wouldn't have to draft a plan from scratch.
It could join the existing credit market established between Quebec and California.
"I don't think there's any hurdle at all," Murray said. "I think it's fairly easy to do because you won't be the first to join."
But given Higgs's dim view of Quebec on environmental issues, including its opposition to oil pipelines through the province, he may not be keen to link his policies to that province's.
The Quebec-California emissions credit market, which Ontario withdrew from last year, is attracting new interest while also facing opposition in the U.S. The state of Oregon is looking at joining it, but the Trump administration is challenging its legality in court.
Higgs could also look into joining Nova Scotia's stand-alone cap-and-trade market, though that province has already said no to letting other provinces sign on.
Cap-and-trade would replace PC plan
Any cap-and-trade model would require Higgs to abandon the output-based pricing system he unveiled in the spring.
It taxes only 0.84 per cent of major industrial emission in New Brunswick and creates a special break for NB Power so it can avoid big power rate increases. The province is still waiting to see if Ottawa will approve it.
Comeau said the model is similar to Saskatchewan's system for industry, "the weakest thing the feds agreed to," she added.
The Tories opted for it, they said at the time, to protect major industries that might lose out to competitors in jurisdictions with no carbon tax.
Not just a price on carbon
Comeau said any provincial climate plan has to go beyond a carbon price and also do more to get to the goal of zero emissions by 2050. That means pushing harder on energy efficiency, renewable sources of electricity and the adoption of electric cars.
The entire discussion about which carbon price Higgs should adopt, unimaginable just days ago, could also prove short-lived.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford said in August he'd respect the election results when it came to fighting Ottawa on the carbon tax. The Trudeau Liberals won the most seats and the most votes in his province, but on Wednesday, Ford said he would keep fighting after all.
For the time being though, Higgs is open to the idea of a conservative-crafted carbon tax, which will make his deliberations worth watching.
About the Author
71 Comments
Commenting is now closed for this story. David Raymond Amos
At least Jeff Carr's client has a Medicare Card that his cohorts deny my right to so I have to pay for my hospital bills too
"In April, Jeff Carr described an elderly resident of his riding who "right now cannot afford her power bill." If she has to drive to Fredericton twice a week for medical appointments and has to pay the carbon tax, "she is not going to be able to survive for another year."
David Raymond Amos
Methinks Mr Higgs should have along talk with his Attorney General N'esy Pas?
David Raymond Amos
Reply to @David
Raymond Amos: Methinks his buddy Rob Moore and everybody else knows that
the former Attorney General Brad Green answered me in 2004 N'esy Pas?
Richard Riel
Wait till you see where those carbon taxes really go, but then again once it is implemented you can cry all we want but discretionary taxes is what it is discretionary taxes. Corporations are going to eat it all up. in no time, It's a wealth transfer, never to be seen again.
David Raymond Amos
Reply to @Richard Riel: YUP
Chantal LeBouthi
Higgs isn’t doing anything good for NB just bs bla bla bla
Lou Bell
Reply to @Chantal
LeBouthi: He's doing a great job ! Tell us all he's done wrong !!
Biggest thing so far was arresting the 110 million dollar Phonie games
giveaway !!
Marguerite Deschamps
Reply to @Lou DumbBell: You never liked us, did you? Who cares?
Ken Dwight
Reply to @Lou Bell:
Discretely got rid of the moratorium on fracking ...for Irving
Fought to get rid of the carbon tax....for Irving
Fought to bring in the energy east pipeline....for Irving
Killed the EV incentive....for Irving Dismissed concerns about glyphosate spraying on crown land....for Irving
Rolled back pollution caps....for Irving
Higgs also chopped payments to child welfare, disability support services, income security, housing services, wellness programs and training programs for nurses.
But his most controversial cut was a program offering free university tuition to low-income students. Yessir, a man of the people he is!
Discretely got rid of the moratorium on fracking ...for Irving
Fought to get rid of the carbon tax....for Irving
Fought to bring in the energy east pipeline....for Irving
Killed the EV incentive....for Irving Dismissed concerns about glyphosate spraying on crown land....for Irving
Rolled back pollution caps....for Irving
Higgs also chopped payments to child welfare, disability support services, income security, housing services, wellness programs and training programs for nurses.
But his most controversial cut was a program offering free university tuition to low-income students. Yessir, a man of the people he is!
David
Raymond Amos
Reply to @Marguerite Deschamps: "You never liked us, did you? Who cares?"
Methinks you SANB dudes certainly do N'esy Pas?
Methinks you SANB dudes certainly do N'esy Pas?
Kyle Woodman
If they were smart they would have already had a plan to roll out. They have had over a year to come up with this. Higgs put too much weigh on the NB Proud propaganda machine. Have these folks ever heard of contingency planning?
BruceJack Speculator
Reply to @Kyle
Woodman: . . . this is what I see . . . by apparently changing his
mind he is able 1.) to "blame the federal liberals" and at the same time
to blame their supporters and 2.) to set up a system in which he
controls the process and treatment of the tax revenue once he gets an
agreement. Sounds like turning the whole issue into a political benefit
to himself . . . but maybe I misunderstand something ?
Kyle
Woodman
Reply to @BruceJack Speculator: No I think that's how they'll spin it. Personally, I'm smarter than that.
Terry Tibbs
Reply to @Kyle Woodman:
I'm *thinking" Mr Higgs just clued in on how much money is being siphoned out of NB in the name of carbon tax and just wants a bigger piece of it. You must remember he is getting the GST portion, did the math, and decided if you can't beat them you might as well join them.
I'm *thinking" Mr Higgs just clued in on how much money is being siphoned out of NB in the name of carbon tax and just wants a bigger piece of it. You must remember he is getting the GST portion, did the math, and decided if you can't beat them you might as well join them.
David Raymond Amos
Reply to @Terry
Tibbs: Methinks he can't think that deep Higgy just wants to get elected
again and he will say whatever it takes to garner enough votes N'esy
Pas?
Lou Bell
Reply to @BruceJack
Speculator: As opposed to Trudeau using it as a benefit FOR HIMSELF ??
That's the only reason he got elected !
Lou Bell
Reply to @Kyle Woodman: You give yourself too much credit
Terry Tibbs
Reply to @David Raymond Amos:
It is almost a given he can't *think* that deep, but surely somebody there has half a wit? (Of course Alward didn't "get it either", so who knows?)
Watch and see how this is handled, I'm sure it will be mishandled and so convoluted no one will be able to make any sense out of it.
All I know is: NB Hydro has 0 (zero, none, not a glimmer) green investments. No solar arrays, no wind farms, no proper resource control of the Saint John River. None of these things on the surface, are money makers, break even at best. Where the money is made in the selling of carbon credits (like PEI, NS, and Quebec, does). Instead we are buying snake oil out of Florida (any word on that yet CBC?) and lining up the citizens of NB to pay BIG TIME.
It is almost a given he can't *think* that deep, but surely somebody there has half a wit? (Of course Alward didn't "get it either", so who knows?)
Watch and see how this is handled, I'm sure it will be mishandled and so convoluted no one will be able to make any sense out of it.
All I know is: NB Hydro has 0 (zero, none, not a glimmer) green investments. No solar arrays, no wind farms, no proper resource control of the Saint John River. None of these things on the surface, are money makers, break even at best. Where the money is made in the selling of carbon credits (like PEI, NS, and Quebec, does). Instead we are buying snake oil out of Florida (any word on that yet CBC?) and lining up the citizens of NB to pay BIG TIME.
David Raymond Amos
Reply to @Terry Tibbs: Methinks you may enjoy a little Deja Vu
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/eub-hearings-nb-power-1.5152980
"Marguerite Deschamps: wow! Someone that try's to hold NB Power accountable and you sarcastically mock him. Are you a housewive of Point Lepreau?? What's your issue??"
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/eub-hearings-nb-power-1.5152980
"Marguerite Deschamps: wow! Someone that try's to hold NB Power accountable and you sarcastically mock him. Are you a housewive of Point Lepreau?? What's your issue??"
Terry Tibbs
Reply to @David Raymond Amos:
What really, really riles me is: Fracking would be perfectly acceptable to most if electricity was generated on site and no outside sales of the gas were possible.
A NB resource being used for the people of NB, and employing a lot of NBers.
But Irving could not get in the middle of that, so it simply isn't possible.
What really, really riles me is: Fracking would be perfectly acceptable to most if electricity was generated on site and no outside sales of the gas were possible.
A NB resource being used for the people of NB, and employing a lot of NBers.
But Irving could not get in the middle of that, so it simply isn't possible.
Richard Riel
On top of my head , maybe it is another form of discretionary wealth transfer tax ! taken from the bottom and to the top ? I suppose he finds it quite amusing.
David Raymond Amos
Reply to @Richard Riel: The question is do you?
Colin Burgess
If we wanted Greta for PM we would have voted Green, instead we voted for Mr Taxation Is a Plan, who doesn’t even believe his own nonsense.
Marguerite
Deschamps
Reply to @Colin Burgess: Greta was not on the ballot.
David Raymond Amos
Reply to @Marguerite
Deschamps: Methinks you SANB dudes are well aware as to why I sued the
Queen and have been on 7 ballots N'esy Pas?
Claude DeRoche
When is the Crown Prince of Bermuda going to return our
equalization transfers back to Ottawa!
Tim Biddiscombe
Reply to @Claude DeRoche: Quite unlikely thing to happen..
David Raymond Amos
Reply to @Claude DeRoche: When pigs fly away from the trough
Marguerite Deschamps
Reply to @David Raymond Amos: good one!
David Raymond Amos
Content disabled
Reply to @Marguerite Deschamps: Who cares what SANB dudes think about my comments?
David Raymond Amos
Reply to @Marguerite Deschamps: Yea Right
Terry Hughes
Reply to Ben Haroldson:
thanks to the Liberals
Tim Biddiscombe
Reply to @Terry
Hughes: ..we are doing something meaningful about man made climate
change. Two thirds of voters cast their ballots for parties with a
meaningful plan.
Colin Burgess
Reply to @Tim Biddiscombe: IQ up, a tax is not a plan.
David Raymond Amos
Reply to @Tim Biddiscombe: Yea Right
David Raymond Amos
Reply to @Colin Burgess: Oh So True
Marguerite
Deschamps
The honourable David Raymond Amos, what are you doing wasting your time here. I thought you were headed for Ottawa.
David Raymond Amos
Reply to @Marguerite
Deschamps: Methinks you forgot that I will be mentioning you SANB dudes
in Federal Court which is based in Ottawa N'esy Pas?
Ben Haroldson
AND why is the green party bill introduced to END glyphosate spraying in nb not a story on here?
Tim Biddiscombe
Reply to @Ben Haroldson: Because it has nothing to do with the carbon tax. duh.
David Raymond Amos
Reply to @Ben Haroldson: Cry me a river
Ben Haroldson
So obviously , we can't believe what he tells us either, not that I ever thought we could. Watch out for the highest carbon tax in the land.
Luis Luis
Reply to @Ben
Haroldson: The people have spoken monday and they said they want to get
hit with the carbon tax, Higgs is simply following the peoples wishes.
Cant complain about that.Gotta face the consequences of the decision
made at the poll booth.
Marguerite Deschamps
Reply to @Luis Luis: Higgs: good dog, nice dog!
David Raymond Amos
Reply to @Marguerite Deschamps: Methinks its too bad so sad that the same cannot be said of you SANB dudes N'esy Pas?
https://twitter.com/DavidRayAmos/with_replies
David Raymond Amos @DavidRayAmos
Replying to @DavidRayAmos @FloryGoncalves and 49 others
Methinks everybody knows that I ran in the election as well Hence I have every right to dispute what CBC and their favourite "Political Scientists" have to say about it N'esy Pas?
https://davidraymondamos3.blogspot.com/2019/10/liberals-take-losses-but-win-enough-in.html
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/carbon-tax-new-brunswick-higgs-federal-election-1.5330765
Higgs may create his own carbon tax in wake of federal Liberal win
Premier says election results show people voted for a carbon tax for consumers
· CBC News · Posted: Oct 22, 2019 3:42 PM AT
Premier Blaine Higgs said Tuesday he 'can't ignore the obvious,' following Monday night's federal election results. (CBC)
New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs says Monday's federal election result means he'll look at how to comply with the Trudeau government's federal climate plan, including the requirement for a carbon tax for consumers.
Higgs signalled Tuesday morning that the Liberal victory, including a decisive win in the popular vote in New Brunswick, may be a turning point in the carbon-tax debate in this province.
"People voted for it, so we have to find a way in New Brunswick to make it work," he said.
That includes exploring a made-in-New Brunswick plan that would meet Ottawa's requirements for an escalating price on fossil fuels from now until 2022.
"I will," Higgs said. "I can't ignore the obvious here. The country has spoken."
Federal Liberal Environment Minister Catherine McKenna quickly thanked Higgs for his comments in a tweet.
New Brunswick is one of four provinces that refused to come up with its own tax. In April, the Trudeau government imposed a federal carbon tax, known as the backstop, on those provinces.
Alberta has repealed its carbon tax and the federal backstop will kick in there Jan. 1.
The tax is 4.4 cents per litre this year and will rise to 11 cents per litre, the equivalent of $50 per tonne of greenhouse gases, in 2022.
Higgs said that some New Brunswickers may not have been aware of estimates that even higher carbon-tax rates will be needed in the future to meet Canada's targets under the Paris climate agreement.
37.6% of N.B. voters supported Liberals
But even so, he said he has to acknowledge the election result.
In Monday's election, 37.6 per cent of New Brunswick voters supported the federal Liberals. The NDP and the Greens, which also support carbon pricing, drew 9.4 and 17 per cent support, respectively. The Conservatives had 32.8 per cent of the vote in the province.
Six Liberal MPs were re-elected compared to three Conservatives. The province's first-ever Green MP was elected in Fredericton.
"People have voted for a carbon tax," Higgs said. "Even in New Brunswick, although we now have representatives from the Conservative side that will go to Ottawa, still there was a strong showing from Liberals and Greens."
Previous approach rejected
New Brunswick's previous Liberal government attempted to meet the federal standard by creating a carbon tax at gas pumps. But it also lowered the existing provincial gas tax by the same rate, meaning consumers did not see a net increase at the pumps.
Ottawa rejected that approach, and after he took power last fall, Higgs refused to come up with a replacement system for consumers. His government has proposed an emissions levy on large industry that the federal government has yet to approve or reject.
Higgs decided not to challenge the constitutionality of the federal backstop on consumers in court, though the province intervened in reference cases filed by Ontario and Saskatchewan.
Those two provinces lost when their top courts ruled the Trudeau plan is constitutional.
Will talk to Ontario, Sask. premiers
Higgs said he hasn't decided whether New Brunswick will intervene in appeals by Ontario and Saskatchewan of those rulings to the Supreme Court of Canada. He plans to talk soon to the premiers of those provinces.
"We do have to have that discussion, because where do we go next? Because in many ways Canadians have spoken on this issue."
In August, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said if the Liberals won the election, he might abandon the appeal.
"Once the people decide, I believe in democracy, I respect democracy, we move on," he said at the time.
But on Tuesday, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe took the opposite approach from Higgs, challenging Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to bridge regional divisions by agreeing to "a new deal" with his province and Alberta, including the elimination of the carbon tax.
I think even Premier Higgs is starting to realize this isn't a winning issue for him.
- Wayne Long, Saint John-Rothesay Liberal MPNewly re-elected Saint John-Rothesay Liberal MP Wayne Long said Tuesday that federal Conservatives miscalculated in trying to make the election a referendum on the carbon tax.
"I'm a progressive standing in an industrial riding. I wasn't shying away from the fact that we need to put a price on pollution. In fact, I openly embraced it and talk about it and said I supported it. I didn't duck it, and I think constituents in the riding responded."
Long accused Higgs of dragging his feet on dealing with Ottawa's requirements because he "wanted the federal [Liberal] MPs to have to wear that and own that in this election."
"Well, the election's over, there are six of us re-elected, and now it's time to put all the politics aside. Let's sit down and come up with a legitimate made-in-New Brunswick plan."
He said increasingly frequent extreme weather, including flooding in his constituency this spring, had shifted the debate on the issue.
And he attributed his win on Monday in part to young voters in Saint John who were angry that Conservative candidate Rodney Weston refused to attend two candidate debates devoted to climate change.
"I think even Premier Higgs is starting to realize this isn't a winning issue for him. It's not a winning issue for their party," Long said.
163 Comments
Commenting is now closed for this story.
David Raymond Amos
Methinks the circus is getting better with each passing day N'esy Pas?
David Raymond Amos
I wonder how much Mr Higgs spent of our money on consultants to help him decide to change his mind in order to try to get elected again.
David Raymond Amos
Methinks folks may enjoy Googling the following then scrolling down to see the signed note the clowns sent me along with some treats before the election. Now they are running the local circus N'esy Pas?
Mr Higgs Dominic Cardy herding cats
David Raymond Amos
Methinks I am the only candidate in the election that complained about the Liberals byway of the CRA making a secret settlement with wealthy KPMG clients involved in offshore tax schemes not long before the writ was dropped Small wonder as to why I will be suing the Queen again N'esy Pas?
David Raymond Amos
Too Too Funny Indeed
"Federal Liberal Environment Minister Catherine McKenna quickly thanked Higgs for his comments in a tweet. "Looking forward to continuing to work with you and the people of New Brunswick on climate action," she wrote."
Kevin Cormier
I recall seeing signs in NB that said "No Carbon Tax", "Stop Spraying" and "Save the Ferry". Often these signs were being held by Higgs' supporters. Where are those people now? Gagetown is still without a ferry (despite re-electing Ross Wetmore) and forest continue to receive spraying. And now, Higgs is caving to Trudeau. So why did we vote out Gallant?
David Raymond Amos
Reply to @Kevin Cormier: I recall seeing signs in NB that said "No Carbon Tax", "Stop Spraying" and "Save the Ferry".
Me Too. Methinks it should be a small wonder why I ran against all the politcal gangs 7 times N'esy Pas?
Me Too. Methinks it should be a small wonder why I ran against all the politcal gangs 7 times N'esy Pas?
Lou Bell
Reply to @David Raymond Amos: And finished LAST again ! Did you get to 50 votes this time ?? If so , A RECORD !!
Lou Bell
Reply to @Kevin
Cormier: YOU DIDN'T , although the rest of the province did ! Gallant
was an SANB puppet , nothing more . A one agenda puppet .
David Raymond Amos
Reply to @Lou Bell: Methinks everybody but you knows what i am all about N'esy Pas?
With regards to your insult trust that I have no idea how many votes I got nor do I care but your SANB/reporter buddy JJ Carrier seems to know the tally. Ask him why he is too afraid to debate me after he had challenged mewith in this comment forum during the election You do know why I save everything Correct?
With regards to your insult trust that I have no idea how many votes I got nor do I care but your SANB/reporter buddy JJ Carrier seems to know the tally. Ask him why he is too afraid to debate me after he had challenged mewith in this comment forum during the election You do know why I save everything Correct?
David Raymond Amos
Content disabled
Reply to @Lou Bell:
Speaking of taking a tally. Methinks its interesting that thus far today
only my reply to Mr Bungay went "Poof" (It was dilly about big bucks
that justifiably embarrassed both the liberals and Higgy) Meanwhile
several of your comments certainly should evaporated but they are still
exist because you write spin for Higgy N'esy Pas?
David Raymond Amos
Reply to @David Raymond Amos: BINGO
Ray Bungay
On CBC last night the one post mortem I keep hearing was the Cons have a strong base but can't grow it. Higgs understands that that issue and tax, as much as I do 't like, must change if we are to get Liberals out of power the next election. Higgs is smart so i want to see somethig like Nova Scotia has done along the ways of cap and trade would make it easier on the consumer and make it work for industry. But NB Power must change their attitides and find a way to fix that power plant up north to something other than coal that dirtier than oil but cleaner than natural gas, cost after renos, cheaper than coal
David Raymond Amos
Content disabled
Reply to @Ray Bungay: Methinks Mr Higgs and his lawyers know that NB Power is in deep doo doo if I have my way N'esy Pas?
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