Carney trumpets death of consumer carbon tax, Poilievre claims Liberals will let it live again

Liberal Leader Mark Carney touted the end of the consumer carbon tax during a campaign stop in Winnipeg on Tuesday morning, as his main political opponent suggested he'll revive the controversial policy if re-elected.

Both Carney and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre used the April 1 death of the consumer carbon price to tee off — a reminder of how this election was once billed as a referendum on the contentious Justin Trudeau-era Liberal policy.

During Trudeau's unpopular final years, Poilievre — then trouncing the Liberals in the polls — was adamant for what he called a carbon tax election, making "axe the tax" an anchor of his pitch to Canadians for the past two years. 

Carney largely neutralized Poilievre's attack when he signed a prime ministerial directive during his first few hours in office, instructing that the fuel charge for consumers end April 1. 

"You may notice that you will soon be paying up to 18 cents less per litre than you did yesterday to fill up your tank,"  Carney said during a campaign stop in Winnipeg on Day 10 of the campaign.

After signing the directive, Carney's governing and campaigning have become laser-focused on the trade war launched by U.S. President Donald Trump.

The pivot appears to be resonating. CBC's Poll Tracker suggests the once-collapsing Liberals are now most likely to form government and are in majority territory.

Poilievre, who is facing criticism that his campaign is missing the mark by not talking enough about Canada-U.S. relations, took aim at "the famous carbon tax" during an earlier stop on Monday in St. John's, accusing Carney of being disingenuous with his promise to scrap it.  

"Up until about two months ago, the Liberals said that if we didn't have a carbon tax, the whole planet would be lit aflame," said Poilievre.

"After having this tax in place for seven years, and keeping the carbon tax law on the books as we speak, what they now say is that they're going to hide the tax from the pump for 28 days leading up to the election." 

WATCH | Poilievre says Liberals not committed to fully removing consumer carbon tax 

Poilievre says Liberals not committed to fully removing consumer carbon tax

2 days ago

Duration 1:34

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre accused Liberals of hiding the consumer carbon tax — which as of Tuesday is no longer being collected but remains on the books pending new legislation — from voters ahead of an election.

Carney was a longtime supporter of carbon pricing before changing course during the Liberal Party leadership campaign, saying it had become too "divisive."

Carney hasn't suggested he'll resurrect the consumer price after the election. The Liberal leader has pledged to keep and strengthen the industrial carbon price.

Poilievre has promised a Conservative government would instead end the industrial price on carbon to "axe the tax ... for good, for real."

On Monday, Poilievre defended his campaign messaging, arguing Canadians are still worried about the housing crisis and cost of living.

"My purpose in politics is to restore Canada's promise," he said. "So we will continue, despite calls to the contrary, to talk about those things, even if I am the only leader in the country that offers any change."