Bill C-234 to exempt farmers from some carbon taxes is in trouble because the senate has voted 40 to 39 to remove barns and greenhouses from the exemption.
Senator Pierre Dalphond introduced the amendment which was voted down the first time, but now approved when he brought it back in.
Now it will go back to the House of Commons where the Conservatives, who introduced Bill C-234, will probably object to the amendment, prompting further debate and procedural delays.
Farm organizations representing grains and oilseeds growers have given strong support for the bill since the beginning, but the Liberals appear to be waffling after they ran into strong criticism for exempting heating oil from the carbon tax.
Conservative agriculture critic John Barlow, who introduced C-234 as a private member’s bill, accused the Liberals of appointing four new senators to gain passage or the amendment and said they are stalling its progress in hopes it will die.
