Editorial: Wheels within wheels

Canada’s current debate over carbon pricing, and Manitoba’s response to the federal requirements, highlight the complexities of making public policy. The federal government wants Canadian businesses, households and individuals to emit less carbon. That’s going to mean burning fewer fuels, using what we do use more efficiently and many other changes large and small throughout

Agriculture major player in ‘Made-in-Manitoba Climate and Green Plan’

Agriculture major player in ‘Made-in-Manitoba Climate and Green Plan’

Increasing the biodiesel mandate could cut up to 431,000 tonnes of carbon by 2022, second only to reductions expected from the $25-a-tonne carbon tax

Agriculture’s role in reducing carbon emissions and protecting the environment looms large in the provincial government’s, Made-in-Manitoba Climate and Green Plan. The word “agriculture” appears 34 times in the 60-page document. “Manitoba’s farmers are at the front lines of climate change and need to be at the forefront of solutions,” the plan says. “The Manitoba


Premier Brian Pallister says a legal opinion supports his decision for a made-in-Manitoba carbon pricing plan, rather than trying in vain to fight the federal government in court to block it from imposing a carbon tax.

Legal opinion backs Pallister’s approach to carbon pricing

Manitoba’s ‘Green Plan’ to cut emissions will be out soon and the premier says he wants Manitobans’ feedback

Manitoba’s decision to develop its own plan to cut carbon emissions, to be released soon, has been vindicated, says Premier Brian Pallister. “If we just say no, we get Trudeau,” Pallister told reporters Oct. 11 after the provincial government released a report prepared by Bryan Schwartz, a University of Manitoba law professor, that concludes the

“In the next two to three weeks we should have the constitutional interpretation back and then very soon thereafter… we’ll be able to come out with our plan.” –
 Brian Pallister

Manitobans will see carbon price plan soon

But Premier Brian Pallister first wants to see the conclusions of a legal review on the constitutionality of Ottawa imposing a carbon tax on the provinces

The Manitoba government’s carbon pricing plan will soon be announced. “In the next two to three weeks we should have the constitutional interpretation back and then very soon thereafter, by knowing where we’re at and what Ottawa can force us to do, we’ll be able to come out with our plan,” Premier Brian Pallister said

Manitoba continues to invest in hydroelectricity, such as the proposed Conawapa generating station, seen here in a Manitoba Hydro rendering.

Manitoba getting a carbon tax, amount uncertain

Premier Pallister says Ottawa’s $50-a-tonne tax by 2022 is too high and doesn’t reflect the investment Manitobans have, and continue to make, 
into producing clean hydro electricity

Manitobans will pay a carbon tax, but how much may depend on the courts. Last week Premier Brian Pallister reiterated Manitoba will implement a ‘made-in-Manitoba’ carbon tax, but added the federal government’s plan to impose a $50-a-tonne carbon tax, starting at $10 in 2018 and peaking by 2022 if provinces don’t do it themselves, is


KAP’s advisory council further refined the general farm organization’s carbon tax policy at its April 20 meeting passing of a resolution to review all other options, including a GST-style approach so farmers could get carbon taxes in products they buy rebated. KAP’s standing policy to exempt agricultural production from the tax so farmers remain internationally competitive, credit farmers for their beneficial practices protecting the environment and for government to show where every carbon tax dollar is raised and spent, remains in place.

Keystone Agricultural Producers adds detail to its carbon tax policy

Some KAP delegates argued the farm group should oppose a carbon tax, 
but others said since a tax was inevitable KAP should help government 
create a tax that won’t make farmers uncompetitive

Keystone Agricultural Producers’ (KAP) carbon tax policy was further refined at its advisory council meeting here April 20. But an almost hour-long debate on five carbon tax-related resolutions revealed some KAP members want KAP to oppose a carbon tax. “We want to wait and get everybody (in competing agricultural countries) on board before we move

Heavy reliance on inputs diverts cash

Nitrogen use can’t keep increasing if greenhouse gas emissions are to fall

There is no way around it, according to Darrin Qualman, reducing carbon emissions will require a hard look at the use of nitrogen fertilizers. Speaking via Skype at the regional conference of the National Farmers Union (NFU) in Portage la Prairie last week, Qualman said the role of agricultural inputs can’t be ignored when it

Altona farmer Danny Penner (r) Somerset farmer Gerry Demare and 
Emerson MLA Cliff Graydon.

Carbon tax effects could undermine rural support for PCs

Somerset farmer Gerry Demare proposes farmers pay the tax on inputs 
if they get the money back like they do with the GST

Manitoba’s coming carbon tax must not hurt farmers or the governing Progressive Conservatives (PC) could face a new right-wing party next election. Local farmer and PC supporter Danny Penner delivered that blunt message to Emerson MLA Cliff Graydon here at a carbon tax meeting March 30. “I am disappointed in Brian Pallister and his government,”


Frozen cropland may be a larger source of nitrous oxide emissions than previously understood.

Frozen soils might be major emitter

A University of Manitoba study has discovered 
the previously overlooked emissions

A new study suggests global greenhouse emission calculations have overlooked an important aspect of the agricultural sector. Emissions, especially of the key gas nitrous oxide, may in fact be about 17 to 28 per cent greater for cultivated soils frozen in winter than currently thought. Mario Tenuta, professor in applied soil ecology at the University

What is 4R Nutrient Stewardship?

What is 4R Nutrient Stewardship?

Manitoba is not like other agriculture areas looking to implement 4R, the room heard during the latest 4R Nutrient Stewardship training workshop in Brandon Feb. 23. The four Rs (right nutrient source applied at the right rate at the right time in the right place) form the backbone of Fertilizer Canada’s campaign to balance environmental