search.noResults

search.searching

note.createNoteMessage

search.noResults

search.searching

orderForm.title

orderForm.productCode
orderForm.description
orderForm.quantity
orderForm.itemPrice
orderForm.price
orderForm.totalPrice
orderForm.deliveryDetails.billingAddress
orderForm.deliveryDetails.deliveryAddress
orderForm.noItems
SMART | city


Why Premier Pallister should take the Feds to court over carbon pricing


Trudeau stood in the House of Commons and unilaterally announced that provinces must impose a carbon tax or set up a cap in trade system in their provinces or, he said, the government would impose one on them Te announcement instructs


W


Bold Ideas Dorothy Dobbie


provinces to charge an additional 2.2 cents a litre for gasoline in 2018, raising the price each year until it reaches 11 cents in 2022. Heating bills are also captured in the announcement raising them over the period another 9.8 cents per cubic metre for natural gas and 7.7 cents a litre for propane. Estimates of what the average cost to homeowners will be vary wildly from a few hundred dollars a year to $2,500 a year, depending on the jurisdiction and the type of energy most commonly used. Here in Manitoba, with its long cold winters and where we use


natural gas and propane, the cost will likely be at the high end of the scale. Predictably, many of the provinces were shocked at what


Saskatchewan’s Brad Wall called, “Te level of disrespect shown by the Prime Minister and his government” in mak- ing the announcement without prior notice or consultation. Te Prime Minister added insult to injury when asked what he would do if a province resisted. “Te government will implement a price in that jurisdiction,” he said, although without explaining how. Whether or not these levies will achieve their stated


goal of driving down carbon fuel energy consumption is a moot point. According to the National Post, studies in other jurisdictions could not prove a link between higher taxes and lower consumption. Regardless, the critical issue here is the heavy handed use of the federal spending power and its potential impact on our federation. Federal/provincial constitutional responsibilities Te crux of the matter has to do with federal provincial


jurisdictions. As each province signed on to confederation and later ratified the made-in-Canada constitution, it was agreed that each jurisdiction would be responsible for various matters of governance and legislation. In general, the Feds look after international matters and trans-border issues, while the provinces are responsible for local matters and individuals. Te Federal government also reserved residual powers


for itself – residual meaning anything not already covered – and also at one time had the right to disallow provincial legislation and had a declaratory power to take over any- thing it deemed to be of general good for the country under its control. Tese powers are now suspended by convention but the touchy issue of jurisdiction constantly raises it head. Over the years and in the 1982 constitutional round,


other changes have been made, some through convention and legislation, among them the addition of federal power


hile environment ministers from across the coun- try met to find a collaborative path toward cli- mate change solutions on October 3, 2016, Justin


$.24 tax on every litre of gas


Manitobans already pay heavy federal levies at our gas pumps – an excise tax of 10 cents (plus 5% GST) on every litre pumped gets


paid to Ottawa. Another 14 cents goes to the provincial coffers (Manitoba does not add its 8% sales tax to the 14 cents excise tax).


over “pollution”, specifically air and water quality, in cases where there are extra-provincial implications. Tis brings us to the knotty problem of the current an-


nouncement. Te Feds want to show that they are doing their best to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, whether the method is justified or not, using a one-size-fits-all solu- tion. Manitoba is saying, hold on. Our province is already one of the greenest in Canada. We represent only 3% of the overall emissions across the country – why should our citizens pay for someone else’s bad behaviour? Environment minister Catherine McKenna is reported


as saying, "It is well within the federal government's right to take action to protect the environment." Her confidence is somewhat misplaced. Canada may try to use its residual powers to claim supremacy over the environment, but the issue of cross provincial border harm is one worth raising. How can it be claimed that Manitoba be causing extra- provincial harm by not raising the price of carbon fuels though additional taxes? As one of the lowest emitters in Canada though our ex-


tensive investment in hydro power, Pallister is certainly correct in claiming that Manitoba has already done more than its fair share. McKenna also pledges that “every penny” of the federally


collected tax will be returned to the provinces – but hold on again. She is not promising a holus-bolus, cash hand over to the provincial government – instead she reserves the


right to put conditions on the return of the funds for those provinces that have not designed a program that satisfies her government. Te tax collected could be “returned”, instead of to the province, to individuals, maybe just in the form of a tax credit. In addition, the Feds have created a $1.4 billion Low


Carbon Economy Leadership Fund to “reward” provinces and territories that buy into the Federal plan. (Seems paltry enough when you learn that they hav also pledged another $2.65 billion of our tax money to help developing countries fight climate change!) Falling into line supposedly would net Manitoba about $66 million, but since half the fund is “merit-based” being divided up according to who reduces emissions more effectively that number could be grossly overestimated. After all, being already a green province, we don’t have much wiggle room. Tere are also caveats on how those funds must be spent. Some deal. So Premier, go ahead and challenge this in the Supreme


Court. At least your potential $40 million will still be in reserve until the verdict while the issue is deliberated and I think we have a chance of winning with the right argu- ment. When a full 60% of Manitobans oppose a carbon tax, we have nothing to lose in launching the challenge because the Federal cards are clearly already stacked against us. Dorothy Dobbie was the co-chair of the Dobbie-Beaudoin


Joint House Senate Committee on the Renewal of Canada which held cross country hearings on the constitution.


Winnipeg, a world class destination H


ello Winnipeg, I hope everyone is enjoying the start of the hottest summer in half


a century. We’re finally less than a month away and the final countdown is on towards the 2017 Canada Summer Games in Winnipeg beginning on July 28! If that’s not exciting enough,


the 2017 Canada Summer Games in Winnipeg will be the 50th anniversary of the first Canada Games during the same month Canada is celebrating 150 years as a na- tion. Tat’s a lot to celebrate! Te Canada Games are the


largest multi-sport competi- t ion for young athletes in Canada. Te Canada Winter and Summer Games has long been a proving ground for some of today’s most well- known athletes including names like Susan Auch, Sidney Crosby, Cindy Klas- sen, Catriona Le May Doan, Steve Nash, Sami-Jo Small, Bruny Surin and Adam van Koeverden. Tese Games represent a great opportunity for citizens to see the stars of tomorrow in action, right here in Winnipeg. Hosting the Canada Summer Games is


4 Smart Biz


on our final approach towards the Games. Winnipeg is increasingly becoming a


destination rather than a departure point and word is starting to spread that Win- nipeggers are great hosts. We already have an impressive track record as world-class hosts for major events. In just the last two years, we’ve hosted major sporting events such as the: • 2015 FIFA Women's World


Cup • 2015 CFL Grey Cup • 2016 Heritage Classic and; • 2015, 2016 and 2017 Na-


State of the City Brian Bowman


tional Bank Challenger Tennis Tournaments When Winnipeg attracts


major events like these, it brings attention to the city as a destination for large events and festivals but also for tour-


a tremendous honour for the City of Win- nipeg and it is extremely gratifying to be


ism. We are home to world class attrac- tions such as Te Forks, the Journey to Churchill at the Assiniboine Park Zoo, the Winnipeg Art Gallery, the Royal Win- nipeg Ballet and our iconic Canadian Museum for Human Rights. We’re also home to amazing festivals that celebrate our incredible arts and cultural scene here in Winnipeg like the well-loved Fringe Festival, Folk Fest, Festival du Voyageur and Folklorama. Add to that the Winnipeg


The Canada Summer Games coming to Winnipeg is just the latest excuse to celebrate this summer.


Jets, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the Winnipeg Goldeyes and it’s easy to see that we’ve got something for everyone. We’ve been recognized by National


Geographic as one the best trips on earth and recommended by major newspapers such as the LA Times and USA Today. One thing is clear; the world is taking


notice that Winnipeg is a great place to be! When the focus shifts towards our city


for the 2017 Canada Summer Games and we welcome the estimated 20,000 visitors,


www.smartbizwpg.com


4,000 athletes and coaches, across 250 dif- ferent events, Winnipeggers will be ready to show off our great city to the nation. I’d like to commend all the Winnipeg-


gers who have volunteered, allowing the Canada Summer Games to reach its goal of 6000 volunteers. Winnipeggers have a long and committed tradition of volunteering and I’m proud of our community for step- ping up once again. Let’s keep this excitement going and show off what Winnipeg is all about!


August 2017


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16