Leaked speech reveals Tories' plan to cut greenhouse gases

The federalTories intend to stop the rise of greenhouse gases inthree to fiveyears, according to a speech that was accidentally leaked to the Liberals on Tuesday.

The speech, whichoutlines the regulatory framework to get greenhouse gases under control, was posted on Environment Canada's website afterit wasleaked.

Itwas to be delivered Thursday in Thornhill, Ont., by Environment Minister John Baird, butwas releasedby the Conservatives on Tuesday nightafter the Liberals announced that parts of it were faxed to them.

"It was mistakenly faxed to the wrong fax machine," Baird said Tuesday night. "I'm the minister. I take responsibility for that. That's unusual in this town."

The plan, entitled Turning the Corner, says that by 2020, the government hopes it will have reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 150 million tonnes, or 20 per cent of current emissions.

The governmentwill mandate strict targets for industry to reduce greenhouse gases, Baird says in his speech.

But to meet those targets, he adds, firms will be able to:

• Make in-house reductions.
• Take advantage of domestic emissions trading.
• Purchase "offsets."
• Use the Clean Development Mechanism under the Kyoto Protocol.
• Invest in a technology fund.

The government says it will alsoimpose stringent targets on industry to cut air pollution in half by 2015, the speech says.

The speechsays the government will explore emission credit trading with the U.S. and Mexico, something they have been reluctant to embrace in the past.

As well, companiesthat reduced their greenhouse gas emissionsbefore 2006 will also be rewarded with a one-time credit for early action, itsays.

Details on how the government will obtain these goals and how much it will costare not in the speech.

TheLiberals had called reporters to their offices Tuesday night to talk about the leaked plan.

McGuinty says page handed him speech

Liberal environment critic David McGuinty had said he would not reveal the contents after receiving a warning that releasing the information would constitute a possible breach of securities laws.

But McGuinty said others may have received the fax. Hecalled on the government to release the speechbefore markets open onWednesday morning in case traders learn of the details and trade on the information.

McGuinty said a page in the House of Commons on Tuesdayhandedhim a copy of a speech, whicharrived on the Opposition lobby fax machinearound 4:30 p.m. ET.

The speech was dated April 25, and did not have any stamp indicating the contents were secret or confidential.

McGuintythen received a second fax that said he was in possession of confidential government information that was faxed to him in error. It said that if any of the information is shared, reproduced or distributed, he could be a target of an offence underthe applicable securities regulations.

The Liberal MP later turned over the faxed speech to the RCMP.