Roy Green: Climate change plan is hardly pan-Canadian – National

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau presents constituents with his "Canada-wide" carbon tax framework.

People, however, seem to be listening to Trudeau.

Climate change, supposedly reason for carbon taxation, is not a matter of major importance in the radar of the national electorate. The IPSOS poll for Global News released last Sunday shows that climate change is lagging behind predictable health care (35%), taxes (28%) and the economy (27%). Climate change hit the finish line rather poorly (18%), while Aboriginal and women's issues were of concern to only 5% of respondents.

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This is bad news for a prime minister who has invested a lot of political capital in the climate issue.

Even worse, the growing provincial firewall rejects a national or carbon tax. It was not so long ago that Saskatchewan refused to cooperate. Justin Trudeau could dismiss the province as an exception to his plan. Not so much longer.

Now New Brunswick, Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan are united in their refusal to collect a climate change tax for the Trudeau Liberals. By the end of next May, it is likely that Alberta will be added to the firewall – certainly if the united Conservative Party leader, Jason Kenney, is elected prime minister, and possibly to be even if Rachel Notley is re-elected if the extension of the Trans Mountain pipeline disappears through political wrangling.

WATCH BELOW: Saskatchewan Premier Calls Carbon Tax "Voice Buying System"

Among voters who follow the speech of the Prime Minister and his Minister of the Environment on their tax plan against carbon (pollution), does he have anything to say but a vague understanding of what the federal Liberals have on your mind?

Former Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall addresses Trudeau at a First Ministers' Conference at which the Prime Minister badured his reduced carbon tax in the agricultural sector from the province, would then be referred by Ottawa to Regina, who could then return and redistribute among the payers of origin.

"What is the point?" Wall asked. Trudeau seemed confused.

COMMENTARY: Justin Trudeau meets the challenge of climate change

On Saturday, I will be speaking to Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe, who described Trudeau's carbon tax plan as a "go-anywhere" game.

Also on Saturday, I'll talk to Ross McKitrick, a Canadian economist specializing in environmental economics and policy badysis and a professor at the University of Guelph, about his column in The Financial Post, The Liberals' Carbon Tax Plan fustarde the real and reasonable economy winning the Nobel Prize.

Without a doubt, the political climate becomes unstable for Trudeau and his Liberal government.

Roy Green is the host of the Roy Green show on the Global News Radio network.

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