May 3, 2019 – For Immediate Release – The Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan will continue to advocate for climate change policies that don’t harm the agriculture industry and that recognize producers’ role in managing and sequestering carbon.
“As producers, we are not constitutional experts, but there are some fundamental issues of fairness that need to be addressed,” said Todd Lewis, APAS President. “Farmers and ranchers are unable to pass along the costs of the carbon tax, and it will only serve to harm their businesses, without helping to deal with carbon emissions. Nor does it recognize the positive contributions made by producers.”
Lewis also pointed out that the Justices noted that their decision was not about whether the carbon tax is a good idea or a bad idea, but whether the federal government has the constitutional jurisdiction to enact the legislation.
APAS was the only farm organization that sought and was granted intervenor status in order to support the province’s position in court. Lewis says the organization felt it was vital that agricultural producers were represented in this important case.
“The Justices may have been split on this issue, but producers are not,” Lewis concluded.
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