Open and accountable...
... to whom? Canada's New Government (TM, Pat. Pend) claims to be "open and accountable", the question is to whom? It certainly isn't to Parliament with Rona Ambrose giving misleading statements to a parliamentary committee. It probably isn't the people, since there's likely no chance we'll be consulted on the "green plan". Further, what we have heard about the so-called environmental plan it would seem that the oil industry is being given a pass on greenhouse gas emissions. So in reality, the Tories see themselves only really accountable to their backers. In terms of the environment, this is the Alberta oil industry. So while global temperatures are on the rise, the Tories are busy placating the industry primarily responsible. Heaven forbid measures be taken to encourage the citizenry to cut down on their use of fossil fuels, wouldn't want oil company profits to suffer now would we? So the Tories will sell out the people for some short term political gains in a province they don't need to make any gains in.
So what we need to do now is somehow tell Stephen Harper that in order to be seen as different than the previous (Liberal) government, he has to actually act different. Playing favorites to special interests doesn't show difference, let alone being open or accountable. At best Harper will be only slightly more open and accountable to the Canadian people than Ralph Klein was to the people of Alberta, meaning not very open or accountable at all.
I'm sure that Harper sees himself as being more accountable, since his oil industry backers are all happy. So having secured his votes in Alberta (not that they were in jeopardy), he has to now try to save his votes in Quebec, where the oil companies don't have quite the same sway over the populace. Unfortunately for Harper, Quebecers have been know to change who they vote for and they see the environment as more important than keeping big oil happy. There's also more of them than there are Albertans and more seats. This could be bad news for Harper's dream of a majority, especially if his diversionary tactic of the so called "Clean Air Act" doesn't work. The Liberals did a fairly good job of selling Kyoto even if they did little to support it and Harper has that to overcome. A diversion looking at non-greenhouse gas pollutants might do the trick, but the press so far would indicate that it's going to be a flop as a diversion. Only time will tell if Harper is successful at negotiating the minefield that the environment is for the Tories.