On Tuesday, the federal government announced its plan for how it hopes to achieve its latest goal, which is to reduce carbon-related pollution by 40 to 45 percent from 2005 levels by the end of the decade.
Tory environmental critic Kyle Seeback says the party does not support the plan.  On the contrary, it favors the goal set by the Conservative government in 2015 under former Prime Minister Steven Harper.
When he took office later that year, Prime Minister Justin Trindade signed the plan, committing under the Paris agreement to reduce the country’s greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent below 2005 levels by 2030.
Trinto raised those targets last year ahead of international climate talks in the autumn, saying Canada now targets 40 to 45 percent below 2005 levels.
“It’s great to plan things and hope for things,” Seeback said Tuesday.  “What we need (are) real plans that lead to emission reductions and what we are getting from this government are plans that cost a lot of money.”
He noted that the Liberals had failed to achieve their climate goals in the past and rejected the plan, which was unveiled on Tuesday, but did not elaborate on the impact of the cuts on resource-based industries and taxpayers.
“I am for ambitious things, but at the end of the day, what we need are plans that really work and do not have an incredibly devastating effect on the Canadian economy.”
Conservative leadership candidates will have to tackle their ideas of the country’s approach to climate change as they compete for the party’s top spot.  The new leader is expected to be announced on September 10.
Much of the party’s support comes from Western Canada, where oil-producing provinces want to ensure the industry survives.  At the same time, the Tories also had to deal with criticism that they did not present a plan to tackle climate change properly during the 2019 federal election campaign.
The contenders started the first weeks of the current race by defending a rally cry from 2019 that remains popular at the base: a promise to abolish coal prices.
This is something many members are excited to hear after former leader Erin O’Toole promised his own carbon price in an effort to rectify the situation in the most recent election.
Ottawa MP Pierre Poilievre is beating the drum and plans to hold a rally in the nation’s capital on Friday against the planned increase in federal spending, which is due to take effect that day.
Poilievre did not answer directly when asked if he supported the current government’s 2030 goals, but said in a statement on Tuesday that Trudeau would “raise domestic energy prices and oil production abroad”.
It is vowing to build more pipelines and end foreign oil imports from Canada.  When it comes to combating climate change, it vows to reduce emissions through “technology, not taxes”.
“These technologies include carbon sequestration, non-emission nuclear power and helping other countries shut down their coal-fired power plants by exporting cleaner gas, nuclear energy and hydropower,” Poilievre said in a statement.
In another statement, Michelle Coates Mather, a spokeswoman for Jean Charest, the former Quebec prime minister who introduced a cap and trade system for the province, said he would publish his environmental plan in the “coming weeks”.
“Mr Charest agrees with reducing emissions,” he wrote, adding that he was the only candidate “with a track record on emissions and reducing pollution.”
Since joining the race, Charest has voiced support for coal pricing, but has so far declined to say when it will approve one for consumer goods such as fuel.
On Tuesday, Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown also bypassed a question about his support for Canada’s 2030 targets. that the Conservative Party has a climate plan that protects the energy sector and taxpayers.
Scott Aitchison, a rural Ontario MP who is running for leader, said in a statement that he supported “Canada’s initial commitments in Paris” and believed in the need to support the country’s infrastructure in the face of the effects of climate change on mitigation. .
This Canadian Press report was first published on March 29, 2022