(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Many adults in Canada want their federal lawmakers to support Bill C-30, according to a poll by Angus Reid Strategies. 55 per cent of respondents want their representative in the House of Commons to vote in favour of the amended legislation that seeks to force the federal government to comply with the Kyoto Protocol.

The term global warming refers to an increase of the Earth's average temperature. Some theories say that climate change might be the result of human-generated carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.

In 1998, several countries agreed to the Kyoto Protocol, a proposed amendment to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The agreement commits nations to reduce their emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.

Canadians renewed the House of Commons in January 2006. The Conservative party—led by Stephen Harper—received 36.3 per cent of the vote, and secured 124 seats in the 308-member lower house. Harper leads a minority administration after more than 12 years of government by the Liberal party. In December 2006, former environment minister Stéphane Dion became the new leader of the Liberals.

Bill C-30—also known as the Clean Air Act—was originally introduced by the federal government in October 2006. The opposition made several amendments to the bill during an all-party committee. Canadian environment minister John Baird dismissed the final version of the legislation—which calls on the federal government to comply with the Kyoto Protocol—as "unachievable."

In the event the current minority government were to fall, and the next federal election was fought on the basis of environmental policy including the Kyoto Protocol, 31 per cent of respondents would vote for the Conservatives, 24 per cent would back the Liberals, and 20 per cent would support the New Democratic Party (NDP). The Greens are in fourth place with 15 per cent, followed by the Bloc Québécois with eight per cent.

Polling Data

A bill currently being debated in the House of Commons seeks to force the federal government to comply with the Kyoto Protocol. How would you want your own Member of Parliament to vote on this bill?

If the current minority government were to fall, and the next federal election was fought on the basis of environmental policy including the Kyoto Protocol, which of these parties' candidate are you more likely to support? (Decided Voters)

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