On work environments

In case there was any doubt which set of parties would make for the more likely deal on the environment, Rona Ambrose has now declared that she's more interested in having the Auditor General take some cuts at the Libs' previous plans than in coming up with better ones:

Environment Minister Rona Ambrose wants the auditor general to review all federal climate programs to determine whether the public is getting value for its money - but it's not clear whether that audit will include the Conservatives' own programs...

Liberal environment critic John Godfrey said the timing of the audit is absurd, since most of the climate programs of the previous government have already been cancelled.

"To audit willy-nilly, after cancelling climate programs that you already cancelled without an audit...seems crazy," said Godfrey...

NDP environment critic Nathan Cullen said any audit should include the Conservatives' own initiatives in the name of climate change, such as making transit passes tax deductible.

"The first program they rolled out is the transit pass, which has got to be one of the most expensive ways to reduce any emissions. I hope she's going to audit her own plans."

While the article also hints at some new willingness on Ambrose's part to consider funding emissions cuts globally, it seems to indicate that the Cons are still more interested in trying to fight past battles than in cooperating toward real progress. Which should provide plenty of incentive for the Libs to actually work with the other opposition parties on a common environmental strategy - both to highlight the Cons' disinterest in getting anything done, and to move the debate past their previous record.

Update: Darren points out another fun tidbit from the extended story:

Ambrose ran into trouble when asked whether Canada has paid $1.5 million pledged last year in support of the Clean Development Mechanism, a key feature of the Kyoto Protocol.

She replied emphatically that the money had been paid.

But when she turned to her officials to verify this, Assistant Deputy Minister David McGovern said it had not.

"The department has prepared a proposal for the minister but it's still under consideration, it haven't actually reached the minister's desk yet," he said.

No wonder Ambrose wants as little attention as possible to be paid to what she's doing. But this brings up yet another problem with the NDP trying to pursue a deal with the Cons: would anybody trust Ambrose not to mistakenly pass her latest press release instead of an agreed bill?