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A $30 per tonne carbon tax in Saskatchewan would generate enough to cut personal income taxes in half

On Thursday, Canada’s prime minister, premiers, and territorial leaders will meet in Vancouver to talk climate policy. On the table: A national carbon price.

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Opposition to this idea is fierce. Brad Wall – Saskatchewan’s premier – said his province will not participate. Pricing carbon, he says, would “kneecap” the economy. Rona Ambrose, leader of the federal Conservative party, is also a vocal opponent.

While the devil will be in the details, if the federal government is determined to introduce policy to lower emissions, a minimum national carbon price, levied by provinces, could make a lot of sense. It not only addresses the Liberals’ environmental priorities with the least cost to the economy, but respects the vast differences across (and within) provinces.

Importantly, this is not an obvious left- or a right-wing issue. Simple market-based instruments to address policy challenges often find a natural home in conservative playbooks and, notwithstanding Wall and Ambrose’s opposition, the push to lower carbon emissions has reasonably broad support. Consider Canada’s EcoFiscal Commission, which brings together top researchers across Canada and political heavy-hitters on all sides — from Alberta’s Preston Manning and Jim Dinning to Paul Martin.