Canada's Clean Air Act Delays Action On Emissions

"The proposed Clean Air Act and its accompanying regulations, released yesterday, set a new target of 2050 for seriously reducing greenhouse gases. In doing so, Canada will violate its sworn obligations under the Kyoto Protocol on global warming. Canada was not the sort of country that violated multilateral treaties. Until now.

That does not mean the act is without value. It recognizes that U.S. environmental-protection levels are generally more stringent than their Canadian counterparts, and that, as a first step, this country should commit to making our standards as tough as theirs.

As well, within a year, there will be new emissions standards for motorcycles, off-road vehicles and forklifts. (You get a lot of forklifts on the 401 these days.) Future governments will be required to report to Parliament on how well, or badly, Ottawa is doing at meeting its reduction targets. This could cause politicians acute embarrassment around 2020.

And it is possible — but only possible — that urban pollution could eventually start to abate."