The bill would eliminate the carbon tax on certain fuels used for ag purposes
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com
A piece of legislation, that if becomes law will provide carbon tax relief for farmers, passed its second reading in the House of Commons on Wednesday.
Bill C-234, introduced by Conservative MP for Huron-Bruce Ben Lobb in February passed by a vote of 170 to 143.
“Thank you to farmers and farm organizations for your support of Bill C-234,” Lobb said on Twitter on May 18. “Bill C-234 eliminates carbon tax on propane and natural gas for drying grains and heating livestock barns.”
The 143 votes against the bill included federal minister of agriculture Marie-Claude Bibeau.
The only Liberal MP to vote in favour of Bill C-234 was Kody Blois.
Yves Perron, John Barlow and Alistair MacGregor, the agriculture critics for the Bloc Québécois, Conservatives and NDP respectively, also voted in favour of the bill.
Bill C-234 now heads to the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food, which Blois chairs, for consideration.
At the committee stage, members of the committee perform an in-depth study of the bill, can ask for officials and experts to answer questions relating to the bill and can suggest amendments.
Members of the ag community support the bill’s progress.
“Great news, thanks for your hard work, Ben!” Fawn Jackson, director of policy and trade with the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, said on Twitter.
“Thank you to all MPs who voted for #BillC234 to support Canadian farmers,” the Agriculture Carbon Alliance said on Twitter. “ACA looks forward to the study at #AGRI.”
Before the bill can become law, it still needs to complete the committee stage, the report stage and pass its third reading. Then it must pass three readings in the Senate.