Print Story E-mail Story STAR COLUMNISTS > Miro Cernetig > Graham Fraser > Richard Gwyn > Stephen Handelman > Chantal Hebert > James Travers > Ian Urquhart > Thomas Walkom Battle over new budget bill could lead to snap election
Opposition parties threaten defeat
Harper dislikes Kyoto-linked plan
TONDA MACCHARLES
OTTAWA BUREAU
OTTAWA—A standoff is building on Parliament Hill over a budget measure to enforce new greenhouse-gas emission standards. The three opposition parties vow to defeat it, a move that all acknowledge could trigger a snap federal election. The environmental measure was tucked into a bill tabled yesterday to implement parts of the budget plan, along with myriad other measures, and it set opposition parties howling. Conservative Leader Stephen Harper slammed Prime Minister Paul Martin for trying to sneak in a Kyoto plan — "amendments that would give the government unlimited power to implement Kyoto without ever bringing a plan to Parliament." "This is a back-door manoeuvre to give the government a blank cheque," Harper told Martin in the Commons. "It is a dangerous way of proceeding. It will certainly not have the support of this party." Martin did not address the question, but outside the Commons, Environment Minister Stéphane Dion said the Liberal government is not picking a fight. "It's a good policy. And it is in the budget plan, page 191." Right now, the government says the whole package is a matter of "confidence" — an issue the government could fall on — but if the opposition parties stand firm, the Liberals have two choices: drop the measure or go to an election over it. Dion said the full plan for Canada to meet its Kyoto commitments to reduce greenhouse gases will be introduced soon, and opposition parties clearly know "the consequences" of voting against the measure: to go to an election. Dion suggested the issue would be easy to pitch to voters. "I don't want to go to an election, but if one day we have to ... if we say to Canadians, `Don't you think Canada should do its share for climate change? Don't you think Canada should do its share for Kyoto?' Obviously, I will be very pleased to do that because I know Canadians at a very large rate disagree with the Conservative party about that." Harper, fresh off a successful policy convention last weekend and an 84-per-cent vote backing his leadership, talked tough outside the Commons. "This is clearly not in the national interest and unless it is removed we will not support this piece of legislation," he said. In the budget speech, the government pledged to spend $5 billion over the next five years to meet its "green economy" promise. Now it proposes to amend an existing law, the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, to list carbon dioxide gas as "toxic" so that emissions by large industrial polluters can be regulated. Conservative critic Bob Mills said it was just a way to bring in a "carbon tax" on manufacturers. Outside the Commons, the other two federal party leaders — who support the Kyoto Protocol — weighed in with threats to defeat the measure, too. "First of all it's not enough on Kyoto," said Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe, who said he'd have no problem explaining his stand to Quebecers. Duceppe is widely believed to be itching to go to the polls to take advantage of Liberal weakness in Quebec, where the sponsorship scandal is hurting them. "The Liberals will have a lot of problems explaining to Quebecers there's nothing on the fiscal imbalance, with a gift to Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. There's nothing on employment insurance. It's not enough on Kyoto. I'm ready to have that election any time if this is what they want." NDP Leader Jack Layton voiced his opposition to the budget measure and slammed the Liberals for trying to tack on environmental measures to the budget bill. "We're going to vote against what's been put on the table. No question about it," Layton told reporters. "The Liberals are playing games with the environment. Paul Martin doesn't care about the Kyoto plan. He cares about playing politics and that is what's going on here." Asked whether it was an issue he'd be ready to fight an election over, Layton said Canadians are in no mood for another vote less than a year after the last one. "Canadians want us to get down to getting work done. We're prepared to do that," he said. "But when we see this kind of game-playing with budgets it makes it very difficult." Harper, in an interview with CBC Newsworld's Politics, called the measure "ludicrous" and "dangerous." "The bottom line is ... the government wants the power to determine at any moment, without reference to Parliament, that any substance in the country could be regulated and massive penalties could be imposed for that substance being produced, or emitted or existing, regardless what the substance is," he said. "If they have a Kyoto plan, they can bring it to Parliament and we'll debate it and vote on it." › Get the NEW Sunday paper! Save 50% now! Print Story E-mail Story
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The Canadian Conservative Party plans to reject the federal budget. A recently amended provision allowing the government to control greenhouse gas emissions is "completely unacceptable," says its leader Stephen Harper.

Harper said Thursday his party plans to vote against the omnibus budget bill if it includes the amendment to the Canadian Environmental Protection Act. It would add greenhouse gas emissions to the list of controlled substances, allowing the Canadian government to regulate those emissions, he contends. "This is an attempt by the government to get unlimited power to impose multimillion-dollar fines on any basis, without any parliamentary approval or discussion, whatsoever." Harper said.

The controversial amendment was introduced after a lengthy cabinet debate between Finance Minister Ralph Goodale and others.

When the budget was tabled last month, Harper initially said his party would support the bill. He now says the party will oppose it unless the Liberal government removes the amendment. Environment Minister Stéphane Dion, who is attempting to have a $10 million Kyoto implementation plan in place by April 4, said he would be "very, very pleased" to fight an election over climate change.

The NDP and Bloc Québécois have both said they will oppose the bill. The Liberal Party of Canada has 133 seats, so its defeat seems certain if all four parties hold their positions.

Both the NDP and the Bloc also accuse the Liberal party of trying to tack the Kyoto amendment onto the bill without sufficient debate.

Bloc leader Gilles Duceppe said that he was not satisfied with a number of provisions in the bill. “First of all it's not enough on Kyoto. We don't know the plan, we didn't discuss the plan," Duceppe said. “I'm ready to have an election any time if this is what they want."

NDP leader, Jack Layton, said "The Liberals are playing games with the environment. Paul Martin doesn't care about the Kyoto plan. He cares about playing politics and that is what's going on here."

It will be up to Prime Minister Paul Martin whether a defeat triggers an election.