Haper says cutting emissions will hurt economy....

....that's because you're doing it wrong. From the globe and mail:

In another warning, Mr. Harper said Canadians should prepare for tough environmental measures in the new year on reducing greenhouse-gas emissions under the Kyoto accord.

Ottawa has promised regulations in the spring that will force industry to reduce the intensity of its greenhouse-gas emissions by 18 per cent from 2006 levels by 2010.

It will also publish regulations forcing significant reductions of air-polluting substances such as nitrogen oxides and sulphur oxides.

"This year, as we approach the 2010 targets, we will be actually implementing those regulations," he said. "Mandating mandatory reductions imposes costs. Those costs are real in the short term. There is no way to avoid them. None."

-Get the full version here

--What Harper could do is impose pollution taxes and then use the revenue to lower personal income taxes. The taxes would have an offsetting impact on the economy, while creating incentives to reduce pollution. It's funny that the press always displays carbon taxes as harsh medicine for climate change while regulation an easier solution, I see things the other way around. If you were a true cynic you would say that Harper wants these new environmental regulations to harm the economy so that support for environmental regulation will dwindle. I really hope this isn't true.