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“We’re not imposing a carbon tax,” Doherty told the Regina Chamber of Commerce on Monday. “Now is not the time to impose another tax on the business community.”

Premier Brad Wall echoed Doherty at the first ministers’ meeting on Monday in Ottawa, telling reporters that while Canada needs to do better on its climate change record, it can’t forget the consequences for the economy.

“As we are meeting, there are literally tens of thousands of Canadians who have been laid off of their jobs in the (energy) sector, and there is the prospect for more difficult news if prices stay low,” he said.

“We need to work hard to ensure that we’re doing no further harm to an industry that is facing great difficulty,” Wall added.

It’s unclear whether the Sask. Party government’s position is ideological or pragmatic, but major energy industry players have voiced support for a broad-spectrum carbon levy in Alberta, Smith said.

“Does it have to be anti-economy to be pro-environment?” he said. “That seems (to be) how they’re painting it … but the Alberta government, I think, is saying the opposite.”

Economic vitality and environmental protection are not always mutually exclusive, according to the president and CEO of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, which represents companies in the oil and gas industries.

“If there’s a way to do things more efficiently, more effectively, it likely has less emissions and lower costs,” Tim McMillan said. “I think it should always be our goal to find win-win solutions.”