Farmers on P.E.I. are watching to see what happens next with Bill C-234, a private member’s bill from Conservative MP Ben Lobb that would have removed the carbon tax from propane and natural gas used to heat and cool barns and greenhouses, and for drying grains.
It passed in the House of Commons, with two of P.E.I.’s four MPs — Bobby Morrissey and Heath MacDonald — joining Conservative, Green, NDP and Bloc members to vote in favour of the bill.
But the bill ran into controversy when it reached the Senate and was eventually amended, which means it needs to go back to the House of Commons.
The amendments eliminated the exemption on the fuel used to heat and cool farm structures, and also shortened the time period of the exemption from eight years to three.
The bill now faces an uncertain future.
