Alberta has ‘toxic economic model,’ should pay for high emissions: Bloc Quebecois leader

The leader of the Bloc Quebecois says Canada should reopen the Constitution following Alberta’s equalization referendum.

Yves-Francois Blanchet was asked on Tuesday about Alberta’s recent vote to remove the transfer payments from the Constitution.

He says the equalization payments, which were created to help address economic disparity among the provinces, should be redone to be based on how environmentally friendly the provinces are.

Bloc Quebecois leader @yfblanchet asked about Alberta equalization referendum.

Says we should re-open he Constitution and have 'green equalization' where provinces like Alberta with higher emissions pay, and those under receive a higher $$$ share. #yeg #yyc #ableg #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/iKrysWwiDB

— Courtney Theriault (@cspotweet) November 3, 2021

“As a party… we proposed green equalization according to which we calculate the average emissions of a jurisdiction in Canada,” explained Blanchet.

“Those who are above this calculation, let’s say, Alberta, pay. Those who are under this average level receive the money because they perform well in terms of fighting climate change.”

However, the Bloc leader says a significant investment would be needed in western Canada to help transition Alberta and its energy industry away from a “toxic economic model”.

The question posed to Albertans on Oct. 18 — “Should section 36(2) of the Constitution Act, 1982 — Parliament and the government of Canada’s commitment to the principle of making equalization payments — be removed from the constitution?” — was met with a resounding support.

READ MORE: Albertans vote ‘yes’ to removing equalization, split on Daylight Saving

Nearly 62 per cent of voters, amounting to 642,501 Albertans, voted yes to removing the payments from the Constitution.

A little over 38 per cent, 399,169 people, voted against removing the payments. Of that, around 55 per cent of Calgarians voted in favour of ending equalization, but in Edmonton 52 per cent of voters rejected the idea.

Although the referendum is touted as a strong mandate for the United Conservatives’ mission to take that fight to Ottawa, it does not bind the federal government to do anything.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau dismissed the idea of ending equalization, saying it would take more than one province’s vote to make changes to the Constitution.

READ MORE: Trudeau dismisses Kenney’s equalization vote

“To eliminate equalization, which is what’s proposed in Jason Kenny’s referendum, is something that cannot be done by the federal government,” Trudeau explained.

“It needs to be done by the federal government working with seven provinces or territories representing over 50 per cent of the Canadian population.”

PM Justin Trudeau was asked about Alberta’s equalization referendum and if his government would enter into negotiations with the province. pic.twitter.com/q4wEvGFxez

— Jeff Slack (@Jeffslack660) October 21, 2021

Trudeau says this is something that Kenney should have known, and reiterated that it is something that would require significant consensus across Canada.

-with files from Courtney Theriault and Jeff Slack