No sale: Canadian voters not buying into massive new expense for no measurable climate "benefit"

Green Shift: Eco issues take back seat to market mayhem

Calgarian Mark Leigh believes he does his part for the environment: he is a devoted cyclist and volunteers at two bicycle co-operatives so others can ride for a small cost.

But during this federal election campaign, Leigh, 24, does not feel environmental issues are prominent enough.

"It definitely gets buried," said Leigh, who works as head of stage carpentry and rigging at Theatre Junction Grand and bikes to work every day, "because it's such an economy-driven city."

Months ago, it looked as though the environment, especially climate change, would be the key issue in the campaign.

In particular, Liberal Leader Stephane Dion -- with his Green Shift plan -- and Green party Leader Elizabeth May pinned much of their political hopes on a campaign focused on caps, credits and carbon.

But that has been shattered by the upheaval in world markets and Conservative Leader Stephen Harper's argument that any party but his will send Canada spiralling into recession.

"Going into the election it looked like the debate was going to be about the Green Shift," said Gwyn Morgan, the retired founding CEO of EnCana Corp.

"But it seemed to lose its credibility as an environmental tool and gained more credibility around the tax-and-spend side," he said. "It became just a muddle in the mind of consumers.
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Still, there is no doubt the Liberal's Green Shift plan has become the lightning rod issue for the environment. The issue is particularly crucial for Alberta, said David Keith, a University of Calgary professor and expert in the capture and storage of CO2.

Alberta is in position to suffer the most national and international condemnation for its heavy energy requirements for the oilsands, as well as any future regulation by the federal government -- if it's not careful, Keith said. Because so much of the economy is based on oil and gas, the province will also be more affected by the environmental imperative to price carbon.

"Of course it's going to hit harder here," Keith said. "The fact is a policy that just sucks money out of Alberta is not politically salable. It will break the country."