Minister of Public Safety Ralph Goodale touched on a range of political issues as the federal election campaign begins to heat up.

Billboards marked with anti-mass immigration messages that endorsed the People’s Party of Canada were torn down over the weekend across the country, including near the corner of Albert street and Saskatchewan Drive here in Regina.

Goodale said it was disappointing to see the signs up in the first place.

“It leaves a very negative message to so many Canadians that this is not an inclusive country when indeed it is an inclusive country,” Goodale said. “Diversity is our strength and the sign company I think made the right decision, obviously responding to tremendous public outcry, and that is significant, and it’s a very hopeful sign.”

Goodale also touched on the recent SNC Lavalin scandal that has since revealed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau broke ethics laws by attempting to interfere with a criminal court case involving the Quebec-based engineering giant.

However, Goodale wouldn’t comment on whether or not Trudeau should have apologized for the matter.

“The Prime Minister has assumed responsibility, and he has indicated that he is responding specifically to the ethics commissioners advise, and to the detailed recommendations from former minister (Anne) McLellan.”

While Trudeau has stated he was standing up for Canadian jobs, opposition leader Andrew Scheer has said it goes to show the Liberal government cannot be trusted, and Trudeau is the only Prime Minister to by found guilty of ethics laws not just once, but twice.

Another issue that will be on the ballot is the federally imposed carbon tax.
While the federal government has stated it is to punish big polluters and find greener and more sustainable ways to live, those who oppose the carbon tax, including Premier Scott Moe, have said the carbon tax is nothing but a job killing tax that doesn’t do anything to help the environment.

However, Minister of Public Safety Ralph Goodale said what Premier Moe claimed would happen after the carbon tax was implemented as yet to take place.

“When you look at the commercial price of gasoline in Saskatchewan, it has come down since the implementation of the carbon price, it’s gone down, not up,” Goodale said. “The consumer price index has gone down, not up, there are more people working in Saskatchewan today than this time last year.”

Over the weekend, Environment Minister Catherine McKenna left the idea of further increases to the carbon tax after 2022 on the table, something that has drawn more criticism from the federal conservatives and Premier Moe.

The federal election is now less than two months away, as it is set for October 21st.