By Andrew Thomson | December 7, 2018 5:41pmET
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe told reporters that Ottawa agreed to review its environmental assessment legislation as part of today’s first ministers’ meeting that included contentious talk on climate change and energy:
Premier Moe says the feds have agreed to work with the provinces to review the regulatory framework, based on the input the provinces have provided. #cdnpoli #skpoli #FMM
— Marc-André Cossette (@MarcCossette) December 7, 2018
“I don’t anyone expects us to agree on everything,” Moe said in Montreal this afternoon. “But we had a productive discussion.”
Ontario Premier Doug Ford, meanwhile, accused the Trudeau government of wanting his province to now increase its emissions target, to offset shortcomings in other provinces such as Alberta.
“The goalpost changed,” says Ont. Premier @fordnation, claiming that the PM now wants Ontario to cut its emissions by more than 30%. #cdnpoli #onpoli #FMM pic.twitter.com/wn1tJB9zh7
— Marc-André Cossette (@MarcCossette) December 7, 2018
Doug Ford on climate talks at first mins’ mtg:
“So the goal is to hit the 30%. We all agree on that. I’m all for it. But all of a sudden we had a little surprise in the room—the goalposts got changed when I said it doesn’t matter how we get there as long as we hit 30%.” #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/ejSYdjRLHE
— CPAC (@CPAC_TV) December 7, 2018
Trudeau responded at the closing news conference:
PM Trudeau on Doug Ford’s claim that feds moved goalposts on climate:
“Even though the premier may want to play games w numbers, what’s clear is we’re going to move fwd as we always have in a very consistent way. And if anyone’s moving the goalposts, it’s Premier Ford.” #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/DWBC3FJbWJ
— CPAC (@CPAC_TV) December 7, 2018
As for the oil-price crisis in western Canada, Alberta Premier Rachel Notley had this to say after the meeting:
No hard commitments as of yet, says Notley, but the meeting did raise the profile of the challenge facing Alberta. #FMM #cdnpoli #abpoli
— Marc-André Cossette (@MarcCossette) December 7, 2018
Here’s what Trudeau told the room this morning before the doors were closed:
PM @JustinTrudeau kicks off today’s first ministers’ meeting in Montreal, saying they will “of course” talk about sectors facing “significant challenges,” incl. oil/gas in Alberta and autos in Oshawa. #cdnpoli #FMM #onpoli #abpoli pic.twitter.com/YpIE5W32rY
— Marc-André Cossette (@MarcCossette) December 7, 2018
Trudeau defended the federal approach to oil prices while visiting Alberta two weeks ago; the TransMountain pipeline purchase and plans for an accelerated capital cost allowance signified Ottawa’s commitment to the province’s economic backbone.
Bank of Canada governor Stephen Poloz told a Toronto audience Thursday that the oil-price drop will hurt Canada’s overall economy – but not to the same extent as a similar crisis in 2015. Oil and gas production represented six per cent of the Canadian economy that year, compared to 3.5 per cent in 2018.
Finance Min. Bill Morneau on premiers’ discussions re energy sector at first mins’ meeting:
“There were no specific solutions. It is a challenging issue. But I think there’s a level of engagement among the premiers to try to get together to work on that.” #FMM #cdnpoli #abpoli pic.twitter.com/tBL6ujWwjj
— CPAC (@CPAC_TV) December 7, 2018