Sask. government shoots down NDP's motion to scrap gas tax

An Opposition emergency motion to suspend the provincial 15-cent-a-litre gas tax failed in the Saskatchewan legislature Tuesday, with Premier Scott Moe saying there are other ways to save people money.

NDP Leader Carla Beck pressed Moe during question period to support the gas-tax holiday, arguing it would save families hundreds of dollars as they're buying Christmas presents.

"People cannot afford to wait until tax time to have some cost-of-living relief. They need help now," Beck told the assembly a day after the governing Saskatchewan Party laid out its legislative priorities in the throne speech.

"We could offer this relief now, if the premier would just say yes to our motion," she said.

Moe told the assembly there are better ways to help with affordability, including personal income tax relief.

Moe's government plans to introduce that measure in legislation later this sitting.

"Those tax reductions are not only affordable for the province, but they are permanent. They are not temporary. They are going to be there for years to come," he said.

Moe added the province also plans to continue to withhold the federal carbon levy on home heating bills.

He said the federal NDP should get Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal government to axe the carbon price.

Beck responded: "The premier knows we don't support the carbon tax."

Beck later told reporters the government's decision to block the gas-tax motion shows Moe is out of touch with cost-of-living pressures.

"This is a government that says that they understand the challenges Saskatchewan people are facing and understand the need for some changes, but we saw them vote against that relief," she said.

"What Saskatchewan people are looking for are measures that are going to allow them to put Christmas gifts under the [tree]."

Moe told reporters he's going to focus on implementing promises he made leading up to last month's provincial election, which includes personal income tax relief.

He said he hopes the legislation passes during the current legislature sitting, so residents can start seeing savings early next year.

"We need the federal government and I suspect the Ministry of Finance federally to send out the amended schedule to employers so they can figure out their (tax) deductions," Moe said.

The legislature session resumed this week after the Oct. 28 election saw Moe win a smaller majority with 34 seats in the 61-seat legislature. Beck's NDP has 27 seats.

Moe has promised a more civil tone in the legislature. The last Speaker, Randy Weekes, accused members of Moe's Saskatchewan Party caucus of intimidation and harassment through text messages.

The house saw little heckling Tuesday.

Beck said she expects the quiet won't last long, as members get more comfortable.

"There are very significant issues that Saskatchewan people are facing and they expect we're going to be having those important rigorous debates," she said.