Hours after the Senate struck down an amendment some feared would kill Bill C-234, another amendment was introduced, Tuesday evening.
Bill C-234 proposes to exempt from the price on carbon propane and natural gas used on farm to dry grain or heat barns and greenhouses.
The Red Chamber defeated Senator Lucie Moncion’s amendment that would have seen it made more difficult to extend the bill’s eight-year sunset clause–a motion that had already been defeated during committee debates. Thirty-six senators voted in favour of the amendment, 42 voted no, and two abstained.
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Hours later, Senator Pierre Dalphond introduced an amendment that would remove barn and greenhouse heating from exemption. This is essentially the same amendment rejected by the Senate on November 7.
Conservatives have accused the Liberal government of running interference on the bill. For instance, earlier this month, Conservative agriculture critic John Barlow suggested the Liberals had appointed five new senators to bolster votes against the bill. Conservative senators also said that amendments, which would send the bill back to the House of Commons, were a tactic to endlessly stall the bill until it died on the order paper.
Meanwhile, Senators who have aligned themselves against the bill accused Conservative senators of bullying and inciting harassment.
In the House of Commons, Tuesday, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre tabled a motion to urge “the unelected Senate” to immediately pass Bill C-234.
“The Prime Minister has deployed his carbon tax minister to pressure senators to block that bill, in an undemocratic attack on the prerogative of the commoners to decide who pays what,” Poilievre said. “The government cannot tax what the people do not approve and the people do not approve of this carbon tax.”
Tuesday evening, Senator Dalphond said the Conservatives see C-234 as a “vanguard” to removing entirely the price on carbon. He said senators should legislate logically, regardless of pressure from farmers.
Debate on the amendment was adjourned until today’s sitting.
—Geralyn Wichers writes for Glacier Farmmedia from Steinbach, Man.
