This week:

• As part two in a special series on the Canadian federal elections, green pundit Kevin Farmer and host Jordan Poppenk review the environmental platforms of the major political parties. This week, we speak in depth about the Liberal Party and the Conservative Party of Canada.
• We feature a discussion with environmentalist David Suzuki from earlier this year about the environment in Canadian federal politics. A number of his predictions have already come true, including the environment falling off the top of the agenda in light of the financial scare and the political strategies of the major political parties (originally aired April 26, 2008).

Headlines in brief:

• The former head of Canada’s nuclear safety watchdog has resigned from the board of directors after more public clashes with the government;
• A U.S.-Canada compact banning water diversions in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River has been signed by the U.S. House of Representatives;
• A CBC report reveals Quebec’s Environment Ministry knew for 5 years that a Pratt & Whitney plant was dumping sewage into the St. Laurence;
• BC Premier Gordon Campbell is facing intense opposition from municipalities over the province’s unpopular carbon tax;
• Liberal leader Stephane Dion announced that a federal Liberal carbon tax would be harmonized with the existent BC tax to avoid double payment;
• A new poll finds that Canadians are equally trusting of Stephen Harper and Stephane Dion on environmental policy.
• Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe has called for a high-speed train between Quebec City and Montreal;
• Montreal has unveiled an ambitious self-service bicycle system named Bixi involving 2400 bikes at 300 stations.

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