A green morning in Alberta?

As the race to replace Ralph Klein as leader of the Alberta Conservative Party heats up, strangely pro-environment sounds are being heard. The leader in the race, Jim Dinning, claims Albertans "want to see the bar raised on the environment," and promises to set aggressive targets for cutting greenhouse gas emissions if he becomes premier. He would set up both incentives and regulations to ensure the goals were met, and in addition establish a research foundation to work on clean energy solutions to global warming.

Dinning has also said he will slow the development of resource projects and mineral leases. Another leading contender, Mark Norris, declares "It may well be time for a breather" in the tar sands. Both echo former premier Peter Lougheed's reference to tar sands development as a "mess" and his suggestion that no more than one plant be built at a time.

All this sounds promising. The big question mark is whether or not the new premier will confront industry as Lougheed was wont to do or roll over for it as Klein habitually did. According to Jim Dinning, "Industry doesn't need to be pulled along ... they know they've got to find a reduction, so they want a government that's going to reach out and say we want to help." Unfortunately, industry does need to be pulled along, and we need a government that is ready to do some pulling.

I guess we'll just have to keep our fingers crossed.