Canadian Provinces OK Ethanol Gas Additive

By Peter Shout

(SP) Toronto - According to Federal Environment Minister, Rona Ambrose, Canadian provinces are in agreement to move toward ethanol additive in gasoline.

The Conservative party had said that ethanol additive in Canadian gasoline would become a mandate and now it appears as if that election promise will be upheld.

Ambrose, federal Agriculture Minister Chuck Strahl and Natural Resource Minister Gary Lunn met with provincial ministers in Regina to discuss how the plan of switch over to ethanol as an additive in Canadian gasoline will be achieved.

Ambrose told reporters at a news confernence that the ministers will be working on a framework over the summer, though it appears that little progress was made at the ministers meeting in Regina. When it came to questions about the Kyoto protocol, Ambrose avoided reporters.

Under the former Liberal government, Canada had set goals to under the international climate change accord, but the current Conservative administration has come under fire from environmental groups who say they should honor the previous administration's committments.