Canada's climate change money shouldn't go to developing countries, Sask. premier says

Premier Brad Wall has unveiled his plan for fighting climate change and it includes "redeploying" $2.65 billion in federal funds earmarked for developing countries.

Saskatchewan's planincludes no carbon taxes and no cap-and-trade system for dealing with carbon emissions.

Walloutlined his proposals in aspeechTuesdayat aRegina and District Chamber of Commerce luncheon.

As an alternative to carbon taxes, he wants Ottawa to take its$2.65-billion, five-year commitmentfor climate change measures in developing countries and use it insteadforresearch and innovation in Canada.

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The money could be used to developtechnology such as carbon capture and storageand small nuclear reactors that could reduce emissions worldwide, he said.

Wallalsospoke about his government's pledge forSaskPowerto increase its renewable energy generation from 25 per cent today to 50 per cent by 2030.

"We need to focus on technological solutions," Wall said.

A prime example, he told the crowd in Regina, is SaskPower's$1.3-billioncarbon capture and sequestration project at its Boundary Dam coal-firedpower plant, which this year willremove 800,000 tonnes of carbon from the system.

"We have made this investment, the largest in Canada and it's working," he said.

Other parts of Wall'splan released in a white paper include:

• Developing the next generation of carbon capture and storage technology.
• Encouraging Ottawa to give Saskatchewan more credit for agricultural practices, such as zero till farming, that are "carbon sinks" andhelpfightclimate change.
• Charging a levy on large emitters, with the money to be used for new technologyand innovation to reduce greenhouse gases.
• Calling on the federal government to double the money it spends on helping Canadians adapt to climate change, with remote northern communities an area of particular focus.

Wall's remarks cametwo weeks after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his carbon pricing plan, which Wall called "a betrayal"because the provinces weren't consulted.

Wall gave noindication Tuesday he has moderated his views.

He accused his opponents of employing "bromides and slogans"and wanting to "feel better" without actually doing anything to reduce carbon emissions.

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The federal proposal would charge polluters $10 per tonne of carbon dioxide, starting in 2018, with the price increasing to $50 per tonne by 2022.

Wall saidthat wouldkill jobs in energy-intensive provinces like Saskatchewan.

He said jobs should notbe sacrificed on an unprovencarbon tax plan that lacks a detailed economic impact analysis.

• Andrew Scheer aligns with Brad Wall on carbon pricing, slams Ralph Goodale

Wall's plan won't battle emissions: economist

University of Calgary economist Trevor Tombecompared the differences betweenWall's climate change plan and B.C.'s carbon tax. He said what works with the B.C. plan is the fact that ithas generated revenue for the province while also fighting emissions.

"A carbon tax is another way of raising revenue and the funds could be used to lower taxes. So B.C., for example, takes their carbon revenue and lowers corporate incometaxes and lowers personal income taxes," he said.

Tombe addedwhile the carbon tax did have employment implications in some sectors, overall employment did not drop.

He criticized Wall's plan, saying it would be more damaging because money would be spent on technology and innovation subsidies.

"To the extent that his carbon tax is not revenue neutral. He's not taking the money and lowering other taxes. The way in which he is implementing it, relative to say B.C., may have worse affects on employment in Saskatchewan."

Economists would favour a carbon tax over a subsidy for research and innovation because the tax presentsless risk, he added.