The provinces of Quebec and Ontario have shown great leadership by working together to institute a bilateral "cap-and-trade" system in an attempt to curb green house gas emissions. When the Canadian federal government is dragging its heels on what most consider the most important issue curretnly facing humanity, bilateral initiatives between provinces or municipalities makes a good deal of sense.

This kind of autonomy and leadership at the provincial level is refreshing. A similar dynamic has existed for many years in the U.S., where despite an administration nearly oblivious to the severity of climate change, states such as California and Massachusetts have enacted policies as cutting edge as many Western European countries.

I applaud these efforts to transcend federal inaction and only hope they increase. If we've learned anything about Steven Harper's government, it is that they are extremely preoccupied with their image, particularly as compared to those of the provinces. By taking such progressive action on climate change, McGuinty and Charest only put preassure on Harper to come up with an environmental agenda that looks attractive in contrast. Whether the conservative government takes action on climate change out of fear of looking like buffoons or out of a sudden affinity for the climate, the result will be the same: a more aggressive federal environmental agenda.