NDP announce support for Conservative motion calling for carbon tax to be removed from all home heating

New Democrats will support the Conservative motion to remove the carbon tax off all home heating for the next three years, NDP House Leader Peter Julian said Thursday.

“The reality is we have people who are struggling to make ends meet, heat their homes over the course of the winter,” Julian said in the foyer of the House of Commons.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre tabled the motion Thursday morning.

The motion’s text is as follows: “That, given that the government has announced a “temporary, three-year pause” to the federal carbon tax on home heating oil, the House call on the government to extend that pause to all forms of home heating.”

Last week Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the carbon tax would be paused on home heating oil.

The government said the pause is to allow Canadians who use oil to heat their homes more time to switch to electric heat pumps.

Home heating oil is the most prevalent in Atlantic Canada but is used in rural areas of other provinces such as Ontario and Saskatchewan.

Trudeau also announced increased grants last week to a program that gives funding to help Canadians switch to electric heat pumps from home heating oil.

Labour Minister Seamus O’Regan said its not just an Atlantic Canadian issue.

“This country is built on carve-outs and pauses and compromises," he said. "That's the only way this country runs."

Trudeau said Tuesday there would be no more exemptions to the carbon tax.

NDP House Leader Peter Julian said supporting the motion isn’t a confidence vote against the government.

"The motion is about affordability," he said. "[It's] for once not a crazy climate denying motion, it just refers to equity," Julian said.

Trudeau spoke about the move away from home heating oil in question period Thursday.

“It is more polluting and it is more expensive. Particular only for the predominantly lower-income families that rely on this. That’s why we’re moving forward to replace them with heat pumps, working with the provinces to deliver free heat pumps for lower-income families,” Trudeau said.

Pierre Poilievre said his motion is meant to be a compromise.

“My motion simply says that all Canadians get the same break. After all, a Canadian is a Canadian is a Canadian,” Poilievre said during question period Thursday afternoon.

The House of Common’s vote on the motion is expected on Monday.