And the first Conservative election promise is...

... a cut in taxes on diesel fuel. We're not economists, but it is common knowledge that cheaper fuel means more fuel burnt, and more fuel burnt equals more of the pollution that causes climate change.

Mr Harper is an economist. With this announcement he has signaled that his government will not make climate change a priority.

Contrast this action with Dion's recent changes to his carbon tax plan. He has included subsidies to farmers, truckers and fishermen to help them purchase more fuel efficient equipment to lower their fuel use. This is a smart use of revenue in support of policy: some of the revenue from the tax would be used to offset the impacts of the tax itself.

Here's the big difference between Dion's change and Harper's announcement: the former keeps the price of fuel high but helps key sectors get better prepared for the coming low emission economy. The latter simply postpones the inevitable and provides no incentive for anyone -- truckers, the people who buy goods shipped long distances, and so on -- to prepare for the future.

Please go to www.voteforclimate.ca to get involved.