With his background as an environmental lawyer, it should come as no surprise that Pontiac MP Will Amos is a staunch defender of the implementation of the federal government’s carbon tax.

The tax took effect on April 1, in provinces that haven’t developed their own framework for a carbon tax – Ontario, New Brunswick, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

It aims to put a price on emissions in an effort to affect the behaviour of carbon emitters and get them to adopt more environmentally friendly practices.

The issue has been so polarizing that Ontario Premier Doug Ford has taken the federal government to court where the province will argue that the carbon tax is unconstitutional.

Since Quebec has had a price on carbon since 2007 the federal rate won’t apply here. Nonetheless, Amos said he’s heard no opposition when speaking with Pontiac residents.

“If anything, what I’ve been hearing is constituents who have been calling for more rapid action,” Amos said.

Amos pointed to the fact that provinces like Quebec have already adopted a carbon price, which gives those provinces without a tax an advantage.

“The purpose of our legislation was to establish a baseline so that no province gets a free ride,” he said. “For provinces like Quebec, where they already have an effective price on pollution, it would make Quebec less competitive (compared to) other jurisdictions.”

As for the court challenges from both Saskatchewan and Ontario, Amos was confident that the federal government will get a favourable ruling.

“The courts are going to agree with us that it’s absolutely within federal jurisdiction and totally appropriate for the federal government to establish a baseline,” he said.

Amos also emphasized the need to do something to curb emissions in the short term by citing the recent floods in the Pontiac.

“The floods of 2017 showed us that this is only getting worse,” he said. “And the costs are being passed on directly to individuals and through our insurance policies. We can’t put our head in the sand, we have to address it.”

Amos also defended the federal government’s recent decision to give $12 million to Loblaws grocery stores to help them invest in more energy efficient freezers.

“We had an open competition – and it’s open to small businesses, it’s open to big businesses – the purpose of the program is to get the greatest possible greenhouse gas emission reductions for the lowest possible price,” he said.

He pointed out that Loblaws’ $36 million contribution amounts to 75 per cent of the total cost of the new fridges, which he said will have the spinoff effect of generating jobs.

Amos said the criticisms coming from the opposition bench were nothing more than political posturing.

“What this is is partisan cherry picking,” he said.

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