🗳️ Good luck with that

Trudeau comments on carbon tax collection, no budget polling bump, and Saskatoon transit concerns

April 25, 2024

April 25, 2024 | Advertise with us

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Good morning. U.S. President Joe Biden has signed a bill to “ban” the popular app TikTok. The bill won’t immediately ban or limit access to the app in the U.S., but it will force TikTok’s parent company ByteDance to sell the app within 270 days. In Saskatchewan, neither Scott Moe nor Carla Beck are on TikTok, but it’s an increasingly popular app here in our province. In the months leading up to the 2024 election we will look at how TikTok and other social media platforms will factor into the Saskatchewan election.

Here’s The SKoop for Thursday, April 25:

  • The Prime Minister visits Saskatchewan with a warning for Moe,

  • No bump for federal government after recent budget, and

  • Saskatoon Transit raises safety concerns.

Today’s Top Stories

Prime Minister Trudeau warns Premier Moe about carbon tax refusal

The Prime Minister was in Saskatchewan this week for a short visit. Trudeau made a budget announcement at Waneskewin and spent the morning in Saskatoon.

At a press conference on Wednesday, the media asked the Prime Minister what he and the federal government would do in response to Premier Moe not collecting the carbon tax on home heating in the province, a move that defies federal law. Trudeau said he wasn’t worried.

“Having an argument with CRA (Canada Revenue Agency) about not wanting to pay your taxes is not a position I want anyone to be in,” he said at a press conference in Oakville, Ont. “Good luck with that, Premier Moe.”

The Prime Minister also confirmed that Saskatchewan residents will continue to receive their Canada Carbon Rebate cheques going forward.

The Saskatchewan government passed a Bill that allows the Minister of SaskEnergy to be the distributor of natural gas and will remit the carbon tax. It is unclear of the CRA’s next steps.

Minister of Crown Investments Corporation Dustin Duncan said he was ‘not worried’ about the PM’s threat, saying there is currently no legal process in place for the CRA to collect and will wait to see the legislation.

Learn more about the great work the Saskatchewan Heavy Construction Association and its members are doing at saskheavy.ca.

New Angus Reid Polling Shows no ‘Budget Bump’ for Liberals

New polling conducted by Angus Reid shows that the last month of pre-budget announcements, and the contents of the actual federal budget, has had no impact on federal votering preference.

43% of decided voters support the Poilievre Conservatives while less than a quarter support the governing Liberals. The federal NDP led by Jagmeet Singh remains in third place at 19% nationwide. Among young Canadians aged 18-34 the Conservatives and New Democrats are neck-and-neck while the Trudeau Liberals have slipped to a distant third place with 12% support.

The numbers show that the budget had no impact, at least at this stage, with polling results nearly identical to those conducted before the budget. The budget made Housing and “Generational Fairness” for renters a priority. Only 18% of those polled who currently rent said they would support the government if an election were held today.

Bus drivers raise safety concerns in Saskatoon

The union representing Saskatoon transit drivers is raising concerns about the safety of their staff.

"They're getting kicked, punched, spat on, threatened and bear-sprayed," Darcy Pedersen, head of the bus drivers unions, told CBC's Saskatoon Morning host Candice Lipski Tuesday morning. "We've seen, in recent months, knives and guns on the buses as well."

This comes days after the CEO of Saskatoon Public Libraries called for action after saying their branches “are not a shelter” following the assault of library staff.

This year, Saskatoon transit drivers have reported 31 instances of aggressive actions. This includes altercations, verbal issues, or intoxication.

Outgoing Saskatoon Mayor Charlie Clark said the city needs more supportive housing for individuals with complex needs and traces these altercations back to the toxic drug crisis facing the city.

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"Saskatoon in many ways is a place that more and more people from across the province end up coming to because we have more services," he said. "It is overwhelming our systems."

- Saskatoon Mayor Charlie Clark

Crime is becoming a key issue that will be a focus of many campaigns for City Council this fall.

2024 Election Candidate Tracker

  • Premier Scott Moe - Rosthern Shellbrook

  • Lisa Lambert - Saskatoon Churchill-Wildwood

  • Muhammad Fiaz - Regina Pasqua

  • Jeremy Harrison - Meadow Lake

  • Lori Carr - Estevan-Big Muddy

  • Eric Schmalz - Saskatchewan Rivers

  • David Buckingham - Saskatoon Westview

  • Bronwyn Eyre - Saskatoon Stonebridge

  • Steven Bonk - Moosomin-Montmartre

  • Jeremy Cockrill - The Battlefords

  • Ken Cheveldayoff - Saskatoon Willowgrove

  • Gene Makowsky - Regina University

  • Alana Ross - Prince Albert Northcote

  • Christine Tell - Regina Wascana Plains

  • Hugh Nerlien - Kelvington-Wadena

  • Marv Friesen - Saskatoon Riversdale

  • David Marit - Wood River

  • Doug Steele - Cypress Hills

  • Terry Jenson - Warman

  • Daryl Harrison - Cannington

  • Travis Keisig - Last Mountain Touchwood

  • Everett Hindley - Swift Current

  • Todd Goudy - Melfort

  • Sean Wilson - Canora-Pelly

  • Warren Kaeding - Melville-Saltcoats

  • Tim McLeod - Moose Jaw North

  • Paul Merriman - Saskatoon Silverspring

  • Terri Bromm - Carrot River Valley

  • Joe Hargrave - Prince Albert Carlton

  • Colleen Young - Lloydminster

  • Jim Reiter - Rosetown-Delisle

  • Jim Lemaigre - Athabasca

  • Kim Gartner - Kindsersley-Biggar

  • Khushdil "Lucky" Mehrok - Regina South Albert

  • Blaine McLeod - Lumsden-Morse

  • Megan Patterson - Moose Jaw Wakamow

  • Darlene Rowden - Batoche

  • Laura Ross - Regina Rochdale

  • David Chan - Yorkton

  • James Thorsteinson - Cut Knife-Turtleford

  • Rahul Singh - Regina Northeast

  • Riaz Ahmad - Regina Coronation Park

  • Ghislaine McLeod - Saskatoon University-Sutherland

  • Jamie Martens - Martensville-Blairmore

  • Maureen Alice Torr - Saskatoon Meewasin

  • Barret Kropf - Dakota-Arm River

  • John Owojori - Saskatoon Southeast

  • Mike Weger - Weyburn-Bengough

  • Nicole Rancourt - Prince Albert Northcote

  • Joan Pratchler - Regina Rochdale

  • Betty Nippi-Albright - Saskatoon Centre

  • Aleana Young - Regina South Albert

  • Trent Wotherspoon - Regina Mount Royal

  • Nicole Sarauer - Regina Douglas Park

  • Meara Conway - Regina Elphinstone Centre

  • Matt Love - Saskatoon Eastview

  • Nathaniel Teed - Saskatoon Meewasin

  • Erika Ritchie - Saskatoon Nutana

  • Vicki Mowat - Saskatoon Fairview

  • Jordan McPhail - Cumberland

  • Melissa Patterson - Moose Jaw Wakamow

  • Bhajan Brar - Regina Pasqua

  • Tammy Pike - Martensville-Blairmore

  • Darcy Warrington - Saskatoon Stonebridge

  • Tajinder Grewal - Saskatoon University-Sutherland

  • Carolyn Brost-Strom - Prince Albert Carlton

  • Noor Burki - Regina Coronation Park

  • Jared Clarke - Regina Walsh Acres

  • Jacqueline Roy - Regina Northeast

  • Brenda Edel - Rosetown-Delisle

  • Tom Kroczynski - The Battlefords

  • Don McBean - Saskatoon Chief Mistiwasis

  • Grady Birns - White City-Qu'Appelle

  • Lenore Pinder - Yorkton

  • Lorne Schroeder - Kelvington-Wadena

  • Thera Nordal - Last Mountain-Touchwood

  • Cheantelle Fisher - Moose Jaw North

  • Kim Breckner - Saskatoon Riversdale

  • Alana Wakula - Saskatoon Willowgrove

  • Trina Miller - Batoche

  • Sally Housser - Regina University

  • Wynn Fedorchuk - Canora-Pelly

  • Mike Tapola - Wood River