75-Minute Debate (18 April 2024)

From Hansard (18 April 2024)

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Cost of Living, Affordability, and Federal Carbon Tax

The Assembly was debating the following motion moved by Todd Goudy (Sask Party - Melfort):

That this Assembly calls upon the Government of Saskatchewan to continue with the broad efforts and years of government advocacy work which led to The Saskatchewan First Act, which will stand up for and assert Saskatchewan’s exclusive provincial jurisdiction over nonrenewable natural resources and the operation of sites and facilities for electrical energy production and generation; and further,

That this Assembly condemns the Liberal-NDP federal government’s proposed clean energy regulations, oil and gas cap, and the federal fuel standard as unconstitutional, uneconomical, and a clear violation of provincial rights.

Mr. B. McLeod: — Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Continuing on that theme of the lowest, the opposition has consistently pointed to Manitoba as a beacon of affordability. Here’s the facts. In NDP Manitoba, families pay 7 per cent PST on utilities. Saskatchewan families pay zero on utilities. Manitoban families also pay carbon tax on home heating.

Saskatchewan families pay no carbon tax on home heating. Saskatchewan families pay no income tax on their first 59,000 in income, and Manitoba families pay provincial income tax at 38,000. That’s a difference, Mr. Deputy Speaker, of $21,000 at 12.75 per cent. That’s $2,700 that Saskatchewan families keep in their pockets.

To the member from Saskatoon Meewasin, which province does more for families?

Mr. Teed: — Mr. Speaker, it’s fairly rich from this government who has overseen the largest expansion of the PST in this province’s history. I don’t even remember what isn’t exempt anymore — kids clothes, new home construction, used cars, concert tickets, Rider tickets. Mr. Speaker, this government is making the lives of Saskatchewan people more inexpensive absolutely every single day and has doubled the take on the PST. They have no ground to stand on.