Conservatives turn a new leaf

The Canadian government will enforce air pollution standards on polluting industries and look to make cars more fuel efficient in the future, says the Prime Minister.

In what was billed as a mini-throne speech, Stephen Harper outlined what the Conservatives' budget would look like next month, and what their election platform might be should their minority government face defeat in a confidence motion.

The move is a response to increasing opposition pressure to take more action on the environment. That includes a non-binding motion the parties passed earlier this week demanding the government honor its Kyoto Protocol agreement.

That means Canada would need to cut its greenhouse gas emissions to six per cent less than 1990 levels by 2012. But Canada's levels have risen, not fallen, in recent years.

That's a badge of dishonor Harper is trying to pin on the Liberals for agreeing to Kyoto, then failing to meet its demands.

Cleaner cars were mentioned in the speech as well, not the first time Harper has keyed the ignition on the issue. In Chatam, Ontario in late 2005, Harper told an audience of farmers that he would enact a five per cent mandatory minimum renewable content in fuel.

That promise hasn't materialized into anything yet. But Harper did say the federal government would enforce fuel efficiency standards by 2011 and give tax breaks to those who buy cleaner cars. These are things that some provinces already do.

Despite Harper's promises towards the environment, these policy announcements won't be enough to appease opposition parties. They'll keep pressuring him until hard targets are set and enforced.

Like the ones called for by the Kyoto accord.