The Alberta government has launched a public awareness campaign to provide more information to Albertans about the potential impact of Canada's ratification of the Kyoto Protocol. This awareness campaign includes pamphlets (available at my constituency office), followed by newspaper, radio and television advertisements that will be broadcast this month. Later this fall, the Alberta campaign will broaden to a national scale with Premier Ralph Klein and various ministers travelling across the country on Kyoto-related speaking tours.

Having clean air is something that, time and again, Albertans express as a priority. And maintaining our clean environment and air quality means reducing CO2 emissions.

The Government of Alberta is committed to addressing concerns over CO2 emissions - not only for Albertans, but for the whole planet. This is why we were one of the first governments in Canada to come forward with a plan to address climate change.

Through programs like Climate Change Central, and our efforts to create a made-in-Canada solution to greenhouse gas emissions, we've shown a commitment to Alberta's environment, and our desire to make Alberta the cleanest province in Canada.

It is in this context that we are fighting the Kyoto Protocol. Simply put, Kyoto is bad for the environment, and bad for Albertans. A made-in-Canada solution would represent a better way to tackle the problem of climate change.

The fact is, Kyoto has the potential to harm the environment by driving industry and investment from Canada, where there are tough, but fair environmental standards. If Canada signs on to the Accord, some industry would relocate to nations in the developing world where there are few environmental standards, and even less enforcement of whatever standards exist.

This would not help the environment. What it would do is encourage developing nations to keep their environmental standards low, as a means of attracting the investment dollars and industry that would be forced out of Canada.

All of this would result in environmental damage - as any environmental gains achieved in Canada would be more than offset by the increase in emissions in countries not bound by Kyoto's targets.

Some of these countries include India and China, who are universally recognized as two of the world's worst polluters. The United States refused to accept that most of the world's countries are excluded because they are developing countries. And they believe that the targets are impossible to meet in a realistic time frame. Both the United States and Australia will not ratify the Kyoto Accord. If it's not good enough for them, why is it good enough for us?

Kyoto could also mean economic ruin in this province.

Many people think that Kyoto will only hurt the energy sector. This is not true. Kyoto will affect everything from manufacturing plants to new home construction, from the livestock industry and to the family-owned corner store.

If we allow Kyoto to drive business from Alberta, it means fewer jobs. It means less money in your pocket.

There is a better way.

Let's work with environmental groups, industry, other provinces and the federal government, to design a Canadian plan tailored to Canadian realities.

Let's work with researchers in our universities, who are on the cutting edge of designing clean technologies for Alberta's industry sector.

These researchers are not only working to make Alberta cleaner, but they are also exporting these technologies to other countries. Once again, Albertans are leading the way by developing technology the whole world needs.

Let's have an open and honest discussion with industry, so that we can set time-lines and tough emissions standards they are actually capable of meeting.

These are the initiatives we are focusing on. The Alberta government wants a plan that achieves real results - one that actually improves the environment. One that does not unfairly penalize hardworking Albertans and the companies they work for.

This can be done.

I urge all constituents to get as informed as possible about the Kyoto Protocol. The more you read, the more you'll see that this is a flawed deal that will hurt the environment more than it will help.

There is a better way, a made-in-Canada way, and the government of Alberta is working hard to make it a reality.