Senate vote dooms farm carbon-tax relief bill, triggering filibuster by Poilievre Conservatives

OTTAWA — The Canadian Senate all but killed carbon-tax relief for farm grain-drying and barn heating during Dec. 5 deliberations in the red chamber, prompting a vow by the Poilievre Conservatives to filibuster the Trudeau government agenda unless the carbon tax is scrapped entirely.

In a tight 40-39 vote, the senators approved an amendment to Bill C-234, which stopped the original version from progressing to a third and final vote and becoming law. Instead, the now-amended private member’s bill must go back to the House of Commons for further debate where the governing minority Trudeau Liberals — who vehemently oppose the bill  — will be able to keep it in limbo indefinitely. The opposition Conservatives, NDP and Bloc Quebecois — plus 3 Liberals — passed the bill, sponsored by MP Ben Lobb (CON — Huron-Bruce), last March.