Singh challenged on carbon tax stance as MPs return to Ottawa
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh still won't say whether his party would scrap the federal carbon pricing program if elected, while Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is increasing his calls for the NDP to vote non-confidence in the Liberals and trigger a "carbon tax election."
Back on Parliament Hill for the return of the House of Commons on Monday, Singh faced questions from reporters over his apparent flip-flop on the federal carbon tax.
"Canadians are doing their part. Canadians are fighting hard," Singh said. "But they see (Prime Minister) Justin Trudeau and the Liberals giving big oil and gas a free ride."
"That is a problem. That is wrong," he also said, adding a "fundamental element" of the NDP climate plan is to "have the courage to stop big polluters from polluting."
Despite voting with the Liberals and against the Conservatives on several carbon-tax related motions throughout the duration of the supply-and-confidence agreement, Singh has refused to unequivocally say whether he supports the policy since he "tore" up his pact with the Liberals earlier this month.
At his party's caucus retreat last week, he appeared to signal a shift, saying the NDP wants to "see an approach to fighting the climate crisis where it doesn't put the burden on the backs of working people," and adding his party is "working on a (climate) plan" that will be unveiled in the coming months.
But, with the end of the supply-and-confidence agreement comes the higher possibility of a snap election, which the Conservatives have repeatedly said they want to hinge on the carbon price.
And while Singh's stance on the issue has become murky, Trudeau has accused him of caving to Conservative pressure and having "no idea what to do to fight against climate change."
When asked several times Monday whether he opposes the carbon tax — and specifically about the affordability impact of scrapping the program and, with it, the rebate — Singh wouldn't directly answer, pointing instead to big polluters and accusing the Liberals and Conservatives of supporting oil and gas companies.
"Canadians are doing their part," he repeated, pivoting back to his criticisms of the Liberals and Conservatives.
Poilievre, meanwhile, has promised his party will table a non-confidence motion "at the earliest possible opportunity."
He painted a grim picture of the carbon tax in a speech to his caucus on Sunday, ratcheting up his criticisms and claiming the program is causing an affordability crisis leading to "mass hunger and malnutrition," and to a "nuclear winter for our economy."
"Jagmeet Singh stood in the House of Commons and sold out the workers, the seniors, the farmers, the loggers who voted for him when he claimed he would be their ally," Poilievre said, calling out the NDP leader for failing to openly side with the Conservatives on the issue, and encouraging him to vote non-confidence to trigger an election.
Asked whether he agrees with Poilievre that the next election needs to be a "carbon tax election," Singh said he would "never" agree with the Conservative leader, arguing instead he thinks it will be a "vision-for-Canada" election.
"Every motion that comes before us, we'll take a look at it and we'll make a determination based on what's in the best interest of Canadians," he said.
Singh would not say what caused his apparent shift in stance when it comes to the carbon tax.
Several Liberal cabinet ministers also called out Singh on Monday, with Government House Leader Karina Gould saying he's doing what Poilievre tells him to.
"Mr. Poilievre tells him to end the supply-and-confidence agreement, and he ends the agreement," she said. "Mr. Poilievre tells him not to support the price on pollution, and he stops supporting the price on pollution."
"We'll see today what Mr. Poilievre tells him to do, and how Mr. Singh will respond," she added.
IN DEPTH
Jagmeet Singh pulls NDP out of deal with Trudeau Liberals, takes aim at Poilievre Conservatives
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has pulled his party out of the supply-and-confidence agreement that had been helping keep Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's minority Liberals in power.
'Not the result we wanted': Trudeau responds after surprise Conservative byelection win in Liberal stronghold
Conservative candidate Don Stewart winning the closely-watched Toronto-St. Paul's federal byelection, and delivering a stunning upset to Justin Trudeau's candidate Leslie Church in the long-time Liberal riding, has sent political shockwaves through both parties.
'We will go with the majority': Liberals slammed by opposition over proposal to delay next election
The federal Liberal government learned Friday it might have to retreat on a proposal within its electoral reform legislation to delay the next vote by one week, after all opposition parties came out to say they can't support it.
Budget 2024 prioritizes housing while taxing highest earners, deficit projected at $39.8B
In an effort to level the playing field for young people, in the 2024 federal budget, the government is targeting Canada's highest earners with new taxes in order to help offset billions in new spending to enhance the country's housing supply and social supports.
'One of the greatest': Former prime minister Brian Mulroney commemorated at state funeral
Prominent Canadians, political leaders, and family members remembered former prime minister and Progressive Conservative titan Brian Mulroney as an ambitious and compassionate nation-builder at his state funeral on Saturday.
Opinion
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
opinion Don Martin: The doctor Trudeau dumped has a prescription for better health care
Political columnist Don Martin sat down with former federal health minister Jane Philpott, who's on a crusade to help fix Canada's broken health care system, and who declined to take any shots at the prime minister who dumped her from caucus.
opinion Don Martin: Trudeau's seeking shelter from the housing storm he helped create
While Justin Trudeau's recent housing announcements are generally drawing praise from experts, political columnist Don Martin argues there shouldn’t be any standing ovations for a prime minister who helped caused the problem in the first place.
opinion Don Martin: Poilievre has the field to himself as he races across the country to big crowds
It came to pass on Thursday evening that the confidentially predictable failure of the Official Opposition non-confidence motion went down with 204 Liberal, BQ and NDP nays to 116 Conservative yeas. But forcing Canada into a federal election campaign was never the point.
opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike
When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Freeland says she is 'not going anywhere' after Conservatives call her 'phantom finance minister'
Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland declared she is 'not going anywhere' when pushed by the Conservatives on Monday about her future as finance minister.
'Never seen anything like this': Humpback whale catches unsuspecting seal off Vancouver Island
A Vancouver Island nature photographer says he has never seen anything like what his camera captured on a recent whale-watching excursion off Victoria.
First teen sentenced in Kenneth Lee case gets 15 months probation
The first teenager to be sentenced in the death of a Toronto homeless man will not face further time in custody, and instead participate in a community-based program.
Mortgage loan rules are changing in Canada
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland has announced changes to mortgage rules she says are aimed at helping more Canadians to purchase their first home.
Singh challenged on carbon tax stance as MPs return to Ottawa
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh still won't say whether his party would scrap the federal carbon pricing program if elected, while Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is increasing his calls for the NDP to vote non-confidence in the Liberals and trigger a 'carbon tax election.'
A passing comet could shine as bright as Venus. Here are the best viewing times
This eye-catching celestial event is around the corner and will appear in the skies this fall.
A pipeline explosion is shooting a towering pillar of flame over a Houston suburb
A massive pipeline fire shooting a towering pillar of flame for hours over suburban Houston on Monday as first responders evacuated a surrounding neighborhood and tried to keep more nearby homes from catching fire.
Rebooked your flight? Here are your options after Air Canada reached a tentative deal with its pilots
Air Canada is offering passengers the option to change flights back. Here's what you need to know.
Body recovered from B.C. lake after unclothed man leads investigators to crash site
Mounties are investigating a fatal crash north of Whistler, B.C., after an unclothed man who was found along the side of the road led police to a pickup truck submerged in a lake with one occupant still inside.
Local Spotlight
Young family from northern Ontario wins $70 million Lotto Max jackpot
It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.
Oppenheimer star David Krumholtz dishes on his time filming in Winnipeg
David Krumholtz, known for roles like Bernard the Elf in The Santa Clause and physicist Isidor Rabi in Oppenheimer, has spent the latter part of his summer filming horror flick Altar in Winnipeg. He says Winnipeg is the most movie-savvy town he's ever been in.
'Craziest thing I've ever seen': Elusive salamanders make surprising mass appearance in Edmonton area
Edmontonians can count themselves lucky to ever see one tiger salamander, let alone the thousands one local woman says recently descended on her childhood home.
'A nightmare': Nature-goers stranded in B.C. backcountry after bridge washes out
A daytrip to the backcountry turned into a frightening experience for a Vancouver couple this weekend.
B.C. woman reveals greatest life lesson after celebrating 100th birthday
If you take a look to the right of Hilda Duddridge’s 100th birthday cake, you’ll see a sculpture of a smiling girl extending her arms forward.
Sisters finally see the Canadian 'aviation artifact' built by their father nearly 90 years ago
Two sisters have finally been reunited with a plane their father built 90 years ago, that is also considered an important part of Canadian aviation history.
The debate over taking horns off Viking statue in Gimli
A Facebook post has sparked a debate in Gimli about whether to make a cosmetic change to its iconic statue.
Collector scores 'holy grail' at B.C. Pokemon shop
A Pokémon card shop in Richmond is coming off a record-setting month, highlighted by a customer opening a pack to discover one of the most sought-after cards in the world.
Inside a Manitoba ghost town, a group of ladies works to keep it alive
Abandoned homes line the streets of Lauder, a town that's now a ghost of what it once was. Yet inside, a small community is thriving.