EDMONTON (CP) - Alberta is scrambling to convince other provinces put its alternative to the Kyoto Protocol on the agenda at national public hearings set to begin next week. "We are asking other jurisdictions if they will put Alberta's plan on the table," Environment Minister Lorne Taylor said Tuesday.
"We are prepared to have officials at every meeting - if they agree to it - to discuss our paper."
The new strategy follows Alberta's failure last week to persuade Ottawa and the other provinces to formally adopt its alternative plan as a fifth option to Canada's position on Kyoto.
Instead, the decision on whether to include the Alberta plan is left up to each province and territory.
The federal government is looking at four options to reduce domestic greenhouse gas emissions to six per cent below 1990 levels by 2012.
Alberta's plan calls for cutting the growth of emissions in half by 2020.
With the first of 14 federal public consultation meetings across Canada set to begin June 6, Alberta doesn't have much time to put its vision of climate change before Canadians.
"This has to be done quickly," Taylor said.
Premier Ralph Klein is also getting directly involved in the lobbying effort after returning from a 10-day official visit to Ukraine.
Klein wrote a letter Tuesday to the western premiers and territorial leaders asking them to include Alberta's alternative plan during any federal Kyoto meetings in their jurisdictions.
The western leaders are to meet for their annual meeting in Dawson City next week.
"Ottawa is basically going to ask Canadians: 'we want your views on Kyoto as long as you agree that Kyoto is the only way to address climate change in Canada,' " Klein wrote.
"I will be seeking your concurrence for the following steps: We jointly urge Ottawa to make the upcoming consultation process a truly national one, so that options besides Kyoto, are presented to Canadians for their consideration."
Klein also noted that Alberta has been supportive of provinces concerned by the softwood lumber dispute and the U.S. farm bill - issues of major concern to British Columbia and Saskatchewan.
"Alberta has been proud to join in unity with you on these matters. It would be equally proud to have you as partners seeking concurrence on the steps herein."
Klein has been reluctant to talk about Alberta's failure to win support for its plan at the federal-provincial environment ministers meeting on Kyoto in Charlottetown.
When asked Monday what went wrong at the meeting, Klein snapped at reporters.
"I have no idea. I wasn't there."
"There is a political attitude on behalf of the federal government relative to Kyoto and they are hell-bent on signing this particular protocol. We have our position and we are going to advance that position," he added.
Klein was later briefed on what happened in Charlottetown, but declined to speak with reporters after the briefing.
Along with all the lobbying the Alberta government was also poised to release a public opinion poll on Kyoto and climate change.
Taylor said the Ipsos-Reid survey of 1,000 people suggests most Albertans support taking steps to control climate change, but that support drops off if the measures cost too much money.
"Most Albertans understand that climate change is an issue, and most Albertans want action on climate change," he said.
"They are prepared to spend some money, but not a lot of money."
The poll suggests 52 per cent of those surveyed would be willing to spend between $500 to $2,500 per year on conservation measures such as purchasing more energy efficient appliances or better insulating their homes.
Most Albertans opposed paying more for gasoline or natural gas.
The survey conducted on May 16 is considered accurate within 3.1 percentage points 19 time out of 20.
The full results of the survey are expected to be released later this week.
Ontario, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia have said they are willing to consider including the Alberta plan in consultations, but have made no commitment.
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