In an interview with CTV’s Question Period on Sunday, the Ontario-based lawmaker said he would submit a climate plan while not introducing fiscal policy as a leader.
“We have to reduce emissions, there is no doubt about that, but we have to really help Canadians reduce their footprint.  “I recognize that you know that carbon tax may be the most effective and efficient way to do this, but it is not the fairest way to do it.”
“We have to work with the municipalities and we have to help the Canadians reduce their footprint, not punish them.”
Aitchison had backed public figures for former leader Erin O’Toole’s plan to fight climate change, which included a coal pricing plan.
Under the O’Toole plan, Canadians will see the funds raised from fuel consumption be stored in an account that could later be used for green markets, such as a bicycle or a transit pass.  O’Toole insisted it was not a tax.
In an article in the Huntsville Doppler published last spring, Aitchison said he “hoped” the party could eliminate consumer prices and acknowledged that the proposed system “would be more complicated than a tax and rebate system”, but accepted that if coal pricing should be part of the solution, “it should help Canadians instead of punishing them”.
Aitchison is working to introduce himself to Conservative members as one of the lesser-known candidates in the party leadership race.
Before entering federal politics during the 2019 election, Aitchison served as mayor of Huntsville and is advertising this experience when asked what he brings to the table.
“The mayors are concerned with solving problems and completing things.  “I come to this opportunity in my career in Ottawa without the Ottawa luggage, but years of experience in getting things done,” he said.
Not only is he the only candidate with a local political background, Patrick Brown is currently the mayor of Brampton, but he has also served in the House of Commons and the Ontario Legislature.
Aitchison released its housing policy on Tuesday focusing on boosting supply to address the housing crisis.  In particular, it promises to end the blockade of zones in major cities and will work with cities to “set clear rules” for new building projects.  It is also committed to investing in affordable and social housing and combating money laundering.
Extending his game to end the exclusive zone in CTV Question Time, he said the federal government can link the billions of dollars that are sent to municipalities each year for infrastructure to that end.
Aitchison refuted the claim that the proposal looked more like a liberal solution – bond financing – than a conservative solution.
“The liberal solution is to announce billions of dollars and never achieve anything.  The conservative part of this plan is actually doing something.  “I think Canadians are not really interested in ideological entrenchment, they are really interested in solutions.”
“If we can tie that money together to get things done … we can really build units and that’s the point.”