Letter to the Editor:
Today, hundreds of Saskatchewan citizens are gathering in Regina to do something they likely have never done before in their lives 鈥� attend a rally. A rally to protest the Trudeau carbon tax, Bill C-69, Bill C-48, and to get pipelines built.
Many are travelling to the city in one of the largest convoys ever seen in the province. It鈥檚 a diverse and determined group. Truck drivers, farmers, ranchers, rig movers, welders, pipeliners, business owners and community leaders are among those who will rally against the federal government鈥檚 destructive, ineffective carbon tax. These are the people who keep us moving and keep us fed, and I am proud to stand with them against the carbon tax and other federal policies that threaten Saskatchewan workers, families and businesses.
Our government鈥檚 opposition to the federal carbon tax has been clear from the start. We believe Saskatchewan鈥檚 resource sector, which contributes billions of dollars to our GDP and supports thousands of families across the province, will be hit hard by the carbon tax. Our government believes we need to take meaningful action to combat man-made climate change.听 But a carbon tax doesn鈥檛 do that.
Energy, agriculture, mining, and manufacturing will bear the brunt of a tax that will fail to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in a significant way. But all Saskatchewan residents will feel the pain, through higher prices at the pump, higher utility bills and higher grocery bills.
Meanwhile, Saskatchewan鈥檚 official opposition NDP will not be attending today鈥檚 rally.
NDP Leader Ryan Meili initially told the media he did plan to attend, but on Monday, he backed out. Somewhere along the way, the NDP decided the rally is a 鈥測ellow vest鈥� event (even though the organizers have specifically stated it is not a yellow vest event). Mr. Meili then disparaged the organizers as 鈥渁nti-immigrant, anti-Muslim, and anti-Semitic.鈥澨� By association, he slandered all those attending the event.
A well-known Estevan columnist described Mr. Meili鈥檚 criticism as a 鈥渟mear鈥�.
Some yellow vest protesters have extreme views on climate change, immigration and the United Nations. The organizers made it clear those protesters were not invited to attend, and I have stated our government condemns these extreme views. Today鈥檚 rally has been organized for the sole reason of standing against the carbon tax and other federal initiatives such as Bill C-69 and Bill C-48 that threaten our resource sector.
Yet Mr. Meili continues to press forward with his attack on the rally organizers and the government. His objective seems to be to marginalize those who have a principled, well-reasoned objection to the federal carbon tax.
Why would Mr. Meili do this?
Because he is a supporter of the federal carbon tax. On several occasions, the NDP leader has declared his support for a carbon tax or 鈥渃arbon pricing鈥�. Mr. Meili also claims to support our energy sector and pipelines, but everything he says and does suggests otherwise.
Perhaps that鈥檚 the real reason Mr. Meili isn鈥檛 attending today鈥檚 rally. The people he would meet 鈥� the rig movers, welders and pipeliners who produce our energy 鈥� do a job he disapproves of.
Mr. Meili would prefer these folks move on to other things.
Our government, by contrast, is proud of our energy workers.听 We are proud of our farmers and our ranchers, and those working in mining and manufacturing. 听听We are proud of the contributions they are making to Saskatchewan鈥檚 economy and our environment.
Our world class resource and agriculture industries drive our economy and support our quality of life in Saskatchewan and across Canada. We will stand up for Saskatchewan and defend them today at the rally in Regina. We will defend them always.
听
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe
