Ben Lobb

Liberals intend to move quickly to get a Ukraine free-trade bill passed. The Conservatives voted against the legislation solely because they won't support any promotion of carbon pricing.

The Conservatives dialed up the pressure on the Senate on Tuesday to vote in favour of a carbon-pricing bill, all the while accusing the Liberals of trying to intimidate senators into delaying the bill.

A Conservative private member's bill to exempt more fuel used by farmers from the carbon price is stirring up intense lobbying efforts in the Senate, and leaving the Liberals on the verge of being forced to carve up their signature climate policy even more.

A bill to create more carbon price exemptions for farmers is in the home stretch in the Senate as the federal government faces sustained criticism for its decision to exempt home heating oil from the federal carbon pricing system.