Carbon tax first heated issue of Yukon election campaign

Yukon Premier Darrell Pasloskihas not yet called this fall's election that's expected shortly after this week's royal visit but the political parties are already in full campaign mode, waging a heated and bitterbattle over a carbon tax.

The Liberals unveiled their carbon emissions strategy on Monday, prompted in large part by accusations aimed at their leader, Sandy Silver.

The governingYukon Party has repeatedly warned that if elected, Silver will "force" a carbon tax on Yukoners something the Yukon Party says it opposes.

Silver has countered by pointing out that Pasloski, along with the other first ministers, adopted the "Vancouver Declaration"on clean growth and climate change,lastMarch. He says that means the Yukon Partyis being "disingenuous" when ittells voters itwould not introduce a carbon tax.

The VancouverDeclarationstates: "First Ministers commit to: transition to a low carbon economy by adopting a broad range of domestic measures, including carbon pricing mechanisms,adapted to each province's and territory's specific circumstances, in particular the realities of Canada's Indigenous peoples and Arctic and sub-Arctic regions."

"Behind the scenes, this government is working on it and has been for several months," Silver said.

"MrPasloskiis relying on that old adage that if you say something enough times, that many people will believe it, despite all of the evidence to the contrary.

"He thinksYukonerscan be conned, and we believe that that is cynical politics."

'Carve out' to the North on carbon tax?

Pasloskideniesthat his government is currently working on how to implement a carbon tax.He said he's never supported such a tax, theVancouver Declaration notwithstanding.

He also disagrees with Silver's assertions thata carbon tax is inevitable, regardless of who's elected.

"We're the only party that's going to stand up against one," Pasloskitold CBC. "Let me be clear: we are opposed to a carbon tax in Yukon, and I've said it on many occasions."

Pasloskirefutesthat the Vancouver Declaration commitshis government to adopting"carbon pricing mechanisms,"as stated in the document.

He saysgovernment officials are working on climate change objectives, but would not say that carbon pricing is among them.

"In fact that Vancouver Declaration gives specific mention [of]a 'carve-out' to the North because of the unique challenges that we face.And the reality is that a carbon tax will make everything cost more money.

"The Liberals admitted that a carbon tax will make everything cost more money, including diapers."

About those diapers...

Talk of diapers has been going on for a while.

Yukon Party began referring to costly nappiesin the spring sitting, whenever the cost of living came up for discussion, and whentalk turned tocarbon pricing.

The Liberals picked up the thread this week, with partycandidate JohnStreickeradmitting that, "yes, the cost of diapers will go up."

Streiker's comment provoked an immediate reaction fromthe Yukon Party, which pounced on the statement as proof positivethat a"Liberal carbon tax"would "negatively impact Yukon families."

The Liberals fired back, saying they could not impose a carbon tax on Yukon, because territorial law requires any new tax be agreed to by Yukoners in a referendum.

The Liberals say theywould instead work with the federal government "to ensure all carbon revenue collected in the Yukon will be returned to Yukon and rebated to Yukoners."

The NDP, meanwhile,hasnot yet officiallyreleased itsplatform on carbon pricing,butleader Liz Hanson told CBC last week that she believesPasloskicould be "advocating for how we might more effectively use [a carbontax]"so thatYukoners, especially those with low incomes,receive tax rebates.

Hanson said the Yukon governmentshouldalsoensure that half of anycarbon tax revenues godirectly into renewable energy.

Next week, Community Services Minister Currie Dixon will attend ameeting of Canadian environment ministers in Montreal.Pasloski said Dixon will "very clearly" statehisgovernment'sopposition to a carbon tax.