'I just don't see any government in any future getting rid of that, Conservative, Liberal or New Democrat,' Ken Boessenkool said. 'The question is: will it continue to get more stringent?'

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This week, John Ivison is joined by veteran economist and strategist Ken Boessenkool, who was a senior adviser to Stephen Harper and a former chief of staff to B.C. premier Christy Clark.

Boessenkool is part of a group called Conservatives for Clean Growth, who are pushing the idea that climate policy matters and that any credible election platform needs a carbon plan. Ivison asked whether a Pierre Poilievre government would keep the industrial emitters carbon tax that covers the majority of Canada’s emissions, even if it kills the consumer tax.

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“Look, there’s a huge gap between what Conservatives say and what Conservatives do. And I hate to admit this, but it’s true. Jason Kenney ran on ‘Axe The Tax’ and he beefed up the industrial carbon price in Alberta. Danielle Smith ran on ‘Axe to Tax’ and she not only beefed up the industrial carbon price in Alberta, she said she was going to go to $170 (a tonne). She committed to doing that. And as you mentioned, that’s the heavy lifting,” he said.

Boessenkool noted that one Quebec newspaper reported that a Poilievre government would kill the large emitter tax, and within an hour the Opposition leader’s office sent out a correction saying “that’s not what he said.”

“In Alberta, 70 per cent of emissions are subject to a carbon price on the industrial side. And I just don’t see any government in any future getting rid of that — Conservative, Liberal or New Democrat,” he said. “The question is: will it continue to get more stringent? Will it continue to get tighter? And I think the answer to that question is almost certainly,........

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