Trudeau-era climate policies hang in the balance as Carney seeks grand bargain to build

As Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government prepares its fall budget, discussions of striking a “grand bargain” between the environment and economy are raging.

The tariff war with the United States is the backdrop to the grand bargain negotiations. Carney wants to strengthen the Canadian economy with his major projects agenda, and needs the provinces and territories working cooperatively with him on his vision. But some premiers see an opportunity to knock down climate policies that would further unleash the fossil fuel sector as the price of cooperation.

The other big picture consideration is the climate crisis, and growing urgency to slash emissions to prevent more damage. Last year was the country’s most expensive year on record for extreme weather exacerbated by the warming atmosphere