The head of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers says Canada’s climate pledges risk making the country an “outlier” with its economic competitors.
Tim McMillan says that as Canada increases its environmental ambition at events such as this week’s climate conference in Scotland, the federal government must work harder to bring the rest of the world along.
He says Canada risks losing investment to other jurisdictions if it moves too far on its own.
McMillan says the government should be more careful to ensure it’s moving together with other countries — and if that isn’t possible, it should consider measures like a carbon import tax to even the playing field for domestic industry.
Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson disputes the suggestion Canada is moving too quickly.
He says the agreements Canada signed this week at the COP26 meeting in Glasgow were also signed by major producers such as the United States.
Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault says any measures like a so-called “border adjustment tax” are still at very preliminary stages.