Environmental activists gathered across Canada to hold grassroots rallies in support of the Kyoto Protocol.
One of the biggest rallies on Sunday was held in Toronto, where people demanded that Prime Minister Stephen Harper not renege on the global climate change-fighting treaty.
"We've got a committee meeting a week from now to start writing new climate change legislation for Canada," NDP Leader Jack Layton told Â鶹´«Ã½ at the Toronto rally.
"And I think people here are saying it's got to honour our Kyoto obligations, and it's got to get moving."
In Calgary, Dr. David Swann, a local MLA and Liberal environment critic, told Â鶹´«Ã½: "The politicians are way behind the citizens on this. They want action, they want clear limits and reductions in emissions and movement towards the Kyoto targets."
Canada is obligated by the treaty to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by six per cent below 1990 levels.
While the European Union -- in particular France, Britain and Germany -- is seen as a leader. The EU just reached an agreement to cut GHG emissions by 20 per cent below 1990 levels by 2020.
In comparison, Canada, Japan and Norway are seen as Kyoto laggards.
The Conservatives claim trying to meet Kyoto would cause economic collapse.
"They always say that (the Kyoto protocol is) going to take away jobs, but it's actually going to increase jobs because there's a lot of alternatives out there," said Wendy Cartwright, the environmental rep for CAW Local 1090.
Union representatives say alternative energy technology is something Canada can manufacture, instead of import, as a part of our Kyoto commitment.
Despite its anti-Kyoto stance, the Harper government has been trying to green up its image.
Harper came to Toronto last week to announce $1.5 billion in total funding for transit and environmental funding.
Part of the plant is to build a transmission line so Ontario can import hydro power from Manitoba and start phasing out its coal-fired power plants.
"We're taking a co-operative, balanced approach to solving the environmental challenge," Harper said.
Liberals claim Harper has been just re-announcing their party's programs that he had previously cancelled.
Climate activist John Bennett said: "We can't be conned by the greenwashing of the government. The only test is putting regulations on the biggest polluters."
A recent analysis of a draft Tory climate change by various environmental groups found that GHG emissions by large industrial sectors like the Alberta oilsands would rise substantially.
The oilsands produce substantial GHG emissions because the sand must be heated to separate out the oil.
Harper was also in Alberta this past week to announce $155-million in spending to help the oilsands industry pump carbon dioxide emissions underground - a process called carbon capture.
"We've seen that Shell and Suncor have said they could implement Kyoto and it wouldn't be that bad. Mostly it's improving efficiency," said John Read, leader of Alberta's Green Party.
In Halifax, close to 50 people congregated for a march.
"We need to start thinking of the generations ahead of us," Myriam Hammami of Sierra Club Atlantic told CTV Atlantic.
"In the end, these youth are going to be coming into this world, and they want to know that this is going to be a safe world that they can live and grow up in."
With a report from CTV's Rosemary Thompson
