Estevan Mercury 20190403

Page 1

!!

UNITED WAY AGM Another successful year A3

BRUINS FLAG INSIDE Support our local team A9-10

Issue 49

SERVING THE ENERGY CITY SINCE 1903

www.estevanmercury.ca

Wednesday, April 3, 2019 Mailing No. 10769 | Publication No. 40069240

Carbon tax now in effect By David Willberg dwillberg@estevanmercury.ca

The carbon tax came into effect in Saskatchewan on April 1, and it’s expected to have a considerable impact on the people of the province. The federal government has imposed the carbon tax on Saskatchewan and three other provinces – Manitoba, Ontario and New Brunswick – that it says do not have suitable carbon pricing solutions. It starts at $20 per tonne of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) this year, and will increase each year until it hits $50 per tonne of GHG emissions in 2022. While the provincial government is challenging the constitutional validity of the federal government’s move, that didn’t stop the tax from being imposed. Data from the federal government projects the average Saskatchewan household will pay $403 more through the carbon tax this year, and that number will increase to $946 in 2022. The government is offering rebates to those affected by the tax, starting at $598 in Saskatchewan this year and increasing to $1,419 in 2022. Todd MacKay, who is the Prairie director for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said at one time Saskatchewan was fighting a lonely battle on the issue. There weren’t many people standing up to the feds on the issue. “A lot of times it felt like it was the Canadian Taxpayers Federation and (former) premier Brad Wall, and that was about it,” said MacKay. But the more they have talked about it, the more he says people realize the carbon tax isn’t going to work. MacKay said the CTF has sent out petitions, spoken to the media and tried other efforts to apply pressure on the federal government to back off on the tax plan. He was hopeful the federal government would repeal the carbon tax after the Progressive Conservatives won the provincial election in Ontario and promptly dropped the province’s cap-andtrade system, but that hasn’t happened. MacKay says he remains optimistic that the carbon tax will eventually be repealed. “Politicians work for the people. It’s not the other way around. People across the country are increasingly opposed to a carbon tax. We feel pretty confident that we can push it back. It’s going to be a long, hard fight, and that fight certainly isn’t over yet, but we can fight the carbon tax.” In B.C., he pointed out that vehicle emissions have continued

Todd MacKay of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. Photo submitted to go up, even though the carbon tax has been in place for a decade. “British Columbians have spent hundreds of millions of dollars on a carbon tax, and yet emissions continue to go up.That’s a bad deal on both ends,” said MacKay. The most obvious area where people will notice a difference is at the gas pump, he said. Prices are expected to increase four cents per litre for gasoline and six cents per litre for diesel. But people will also notice it on natural gas bills. Indirect costs will include groceries. “All of the groceries in the grocery store got there because somebody put them on a truck and drove them to the grocery store. Those prices are going to go up.” As for an alternative to the carbon tax, MacKay cited the work of Canadian farmers to reduce carbon emissions. He noted Canadian farmers are producing more food than ever before, without increasing emissions. “Technological development, research and development, those are areas that can make a real difference, because when we get better at doing things more efficiently here in Canada, those technologies can be transferred across the country and around the world,” said MacKay. The provincial government says one example of the impact of the carbon tax was when SaskEnergy’s commodity rate was lowered from $3.65/gigajoule (GJ) to $2.575/GJ, the lowest rate in 20 years. They pointed out customers would normally expect estimated annual savings of $90 per average residential customer. However, starting April 1, SaskEnergy is also required to begin collecting the federal carbon tax, which will eliminate the anticipated savings from SaskEnergy’s rate changes and result in a $109 average increase this year, with a further $54 annual increase each of the following three years. SaskEnergy will not collect the provincial sales tax on the carbon tax.

SS St. Louis liner and its passengers Estevan Comprehensive School’s Drama Club will present the play 937 by Don Zolidis on April 3. Part of the cast are, top, from left, Mckenna Van De Woestyne and Ciara Dayman, bottom, Jordyn Meshke and Angelle Avery. The drama tells the story of 937 Jewish refugees on board of the luxurious SS St. Louis liner seeking asylum around the world in 1939. Everything from costumes and decorations to acting style to light and sound effects helps spectators to fully engage into the tragedy. For more information see Page A17. Photo by Anastasiia Bykhovskaia

Traffic stop leads to drug charges for two women Two women have each been charged for several offences following a traffic stop in Estevan that resulted in a drug bust. A patrol member of the Estevan Police Service (EPS) pulled over a vehicle based on the driving actions of the motorist. The female driver was found to be under the influence of a drug. “A field sobriety test was conducted, which resulted in her failing the roadside test. The female was subsequently arrested and transported to the Estevan Police Service (building) for further testing,” said Deputy Police Chief Murray Cowan. An EPS drug recognition expert conducted a further examination of the motorist. Cowan said the driver refused to co-operate and submit a breath sample. A search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of about six grams of methamphetamine, a small amount of marijuana, three cellular phones, just over $100 in cash, a digital scale and other items used for the sale and

distribution of methamphetamines. A firearm was also seized from the vehicle, and the vehicle itself was seized as offence-related property. The female passenger in the vehicle was also arrested. “During the investigation, it was determined one of the females was recently placed on a probation order, plus she was also prohibited from possessing a firearm,” said Cowan. Kirby Kiraly, a 31-year-old Estevan woman who was driving the vehicle, has been charged with seven offences. Two of them are under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act: trafficking methamphetamine and possession for the purpose of trafficking methamphetamine. The other five are under the Criminal Code of Canada: possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000, failing to comply with a sobriety test demand, possession of a firearm while prohibited to do so, possession of a firearm knowing its possession is unauthorized and failing to comply with a probation order.

Kaitlyn Howells, a 25-year-old Estevan woman, has been charged with trafficking methamphetamine and possession for the purpose of trafficking methamphetamine under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act; and possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000, and possession of a firearm knowing that its possession is unauthorized under the Criminal Code of Canada. Both made a court appearance Thursday morning. Kiraly was remanded in custody until Monday. Howells was released on conditions. The charges have not been proven in court. Cowan said the firearm was stolen from Weyburn so charges for that infraction will likely be forthcoming. He also pointed out the traffic stop wasn’t due to an investigation involving the two females. “Officers weren’t specifically looking for what came out of it here. That all kind of fell into place after the arrest was made for the impaired driving aspect of it.”

LOOKS SHARP FROM EVERY ANGLE. AVAILABLE 360-DEGREE CAMERA WITH SPLIT-VIEW DISPLAY*

Senchuk F-150 FIND OUT MORE AT FINDYOURFORD.CA.

Ford Sales Ltd.

118 Souris Ave. N., Estevan 306-634-3696 www.senchuk.com


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.
Estevan Mercury 20190403 by Estevan Mercury - Issuu