MEDICINE HAT, Alta. — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he aims to counter the "political torque and misinformation" on the federal government's controversial carbon-pricing plan.
Trudeau says all the money collected on carbon pollution will flow back to the provinces and territories and that taking responsibility for the environment will ensure economic growth for Canada.
The prime minister made the comments in Medicine Hat, Alta., where he is stumping for Liberal candidate Stan Sakamoto before a byelection called for Oct. 24 following the death of former MP Jim Hillyer.
Trudeau says "scare tactics" and "disaster scenarios" about his carbon-tax strategy aren't based on facts and won't result in clean-energy jobs for future generations.
The premiers of Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia have criticized the government's plan to charge $10 per tonne of carbon starting in 2018.
Alberta Premier Rachel Notley has said she supports the idea of a national price on carbon in principle and that her province will bring in its own carbon tax based on the equivalent of $20 per tonne of carbon emissions on Jan. 1, with an increase to $30 a tonne in 2018.