Senator Batters: That tiny rural supplement is your government’s admission that rural Canadians are unfairly walloped by the carbon tax. While you give Atlantic Canadians a break on oil heating, this does nothing for those of us in the often bitterly cold West where we must heat with natural gas. In fact, you and your Trudeau government have stalled and gutted a bill to exempt egg operations from carbon tax as you again penalize Prairie farmers. Why does this government continue to punish Western Canadians, farmers and rural Canadians? Don’t they elect enough Liberals?

Hon. Denise Batters: Senator Gold, we in Saskatchewan have long been keenly aware of the fundamental unfairness to rural Canadians of Trudeau’s punitive carbon tax scheme. We have fought against it for seven years. Now, the Trudeau government is giving a carbon-tax break only to those who use home heating oil, which, essentially, only applies in Atlantic Canada. Is this climbdown rooted in logic or common sense? Of course not. Even your so-called Minister of Rural Economic Development admits it’s for crass politics: They voted Liberal.

The Trudeau plan is to quadruple the carbon tax. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister thinks rural Canadians should be happy with the measly extra 10 bucks a month he just announced.

Saskatchewan has had enough. If Justin Trudeau won’t exempt Canadians who heat with natural gas, Premier Moe vows he will no longer collect the carbon tax for the federal government.

Senator Gold, when will your government do the right thing and axe the carbon tax on home heating for everyone on everything?