Maple Syrup

Canada yesterday set aside $1.3 billion over five years to slash its greenhouse gas emissions and another $660 million for other environmental initiatives, as part of what Environment Minister David Anderson called "the greenest budget this country has ever seen." The government also approved a tax break for cleaner diesel and agreed to prioritize infrastructure projects that will help reduce pollution. Ottawa has not yet decided how to spend most of the $1.3 billion earmarked to help the country meet the terms of the Kyoto Protocol on climate change. Options on the table include pumping money into alternative-energy projects and backing initiatives to retrofit buildings to improve energy efficiency. Environmentalists said the sum of money was a promising sign, but expressed concern that decisions about its use would be made behind closed doors and with too much corporate input.