No consensus on carbon tax following Trudeau and Moe meet-up

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe signalled no change in his government's anti-carbon-tax stance Friday after meeting in-person with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Moe's approximately-hour-long talk with Trudeau at the Saskatchewan legislature came about a week after the province became the only one not to sign the federal climate change plan.

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"I think the entire conversation was a constructive conversation," said Moe. "The fact the conservation is happening is necessary."

• Watch the full scrum with Moe here

Last week the province learned it will lose out on $62 million in funding for emission-reduction programs by not signing onto the plan.

Still, Moe did not budge, taking to Twitter to make his continued no-tax case.

"I'll call the issues as I see them," he said Friday, "and I'll always call them on behalf of Saskatchewan people."

Steel, post-Stanley RCMP talks come up

Moe's talk with Trudeau touched on Canada's exemption from steel tariffs expected from the U.S. government.

"That's significant to our province, with Evraz Steel here [in Regina]" said Moe.

Moe said he also brought up recent town halls the RCMP has hosted about rural crime in the wake of the Gerald Stanley trial.

• Property rights questions dominate RCMP town hall in Biggar, Sask.

At the RCMP's latest meeting, held in Perdue on Thursday night, residents were cautioned not to take the law into their own hands.

That is "exactly why the RCMP should be reaching out the way they are," said Moe.

Moe also defended the Crown prosecutions' office decision not to appeal the not-guilty verdict in Stanley's trial for the shooting of Indigenous man Colten Boushie.

• Crown won't appeal not guilty verdict in Gerald Stanley murder trial

"We need to respect our justice system, which is the very foundation of our nation and our province and our country," he said.

Moe's tête-à-tête with Trudeau followed an event earlier in the day during which Canada's Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said allegations of "racial bias" have harmed the morale of RCMP members.

Goodale's comment came only days after the federal police watchdog, the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission for the RCMP, announced it has started probing the RCMP's investigation of the death of Colten Boushie for signs of racial discrimination, along with other areas of police conduct.

• RCMP watchdog to examine handling of Colten Boushie shooting

"Internal challenges, like abuses of power, allegations of racial bias, infringements of civil liberties, bullying and workplace harassment have harmed the RCMP's reputation and damaged the morale of members," said Goodale at the Regina RCMP Depot on Friday.

New RCMP commissioner

Goodale's remark came just before Prime Minister Justin Trudeau named Brenda Lucki, the commanding officer of RCMP's Depot division in Regina, as the RCMP's first permanent female commissioner.

Trudeau said Lucki — set to become the RCMP's 24th top cop starting on April 16 — has already taken steps as the person in charge of training new RCMP recruits.

• Brenda Lucki named Canada's 1st permanent female RCMP commissioner
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"[She] has been focused on ensuring that cadets receive the best possible training, including diversity training, so that when they receive their field placements, they are ready to investigate crimes, enforce the law and keep our communities safe and secure," said Trudeau.

Changes to legal system coming: PM

Following Lucki's appointment, Trudeau was asked if he regretted the tweet he sent out after a jury found Stanley not-guilty of second-degree murder in the death of Boushie.

Trudeau said he would not comment on the Stanley trial, but said, "I think it is impossible to look at the situation in our justice system and not recognize that our system has not fairly treated Indigenous people over the past decades, over the past centuries even."

He added that the federal government will move forward "in the coming weeks on concrete measures to improve outcomes within our justice system, improve relations with Indigenous peoples in our country."

Later Friday, stopped at the George Bothwell branch of Regina Public Library, where he touched on changes to parental leave announced in the last budget.

• Reporter Stephanie Taylor will be live-tweeting during Trudeau's visit. Follow her reports here or scroll down to the bottom of the story. On mobile? Click here.