The Clean Air Act is one such piece that clearly demonstrates the Conservative government trying to get things done and stick to the promises we made in January that got us elected.

The government is committed to clean up our air, land and water and for this reason, the act marks a practical, results-orientated agenda for environmental protection. It will not be voluntary, but law. It will do the following:

Set fixed caps on air pollutants beginning 2010;

Set absolute targets for reduction in greenhouse gas emissions that exceed anything proposed by the previous Liberal government and are among the most aggressive in the world;

Set strict fuel consumption standards for vehicles.

These aspects of the bill will produce real environmental progress here in Canada. And there is more.

Canada's Clean Air Act would also result in the following:

a federal tax credit to offset part of the cost of monthly transit passes;

a commitment to a 5% average renewable content in Canadian motor fuels by 2010;

a pollution prevention plan for base metal smelters which will reduce sulphur dioxide and metal pollutants, such as lead and mercury;

the development, in consultation with the provinces and territories, of a new national Air Quality Health Index, a first of its kind in Canada.

The Liberals have vowed to vote against this act explaining that more needs to be done sooner.

But we, the government, are realistic and want to set the wheels in motion to improve the environment as soon as possible. Dramatic environmental change cannot happen overnight, but blocking this legislation will mean it will be even longer until change can be seen.

This Liberal hypocrisy should stop.

The Liberals should stop jeopardizing Canada's opportunity to improve air quality and the health of Canadian communities. They were long on talk and short on action for 12 years and it is finally time for a change. More than a decade of Liberal inaction has resulted in Canada being rated 27 out of 29 OECD countries for per capita sulphur dioxide emissions and 26 out of 29 for nitrogen oxide emissions.

This means that more than half of Canadians are living in places where air quality does not meet existing standards.

This is a stark wake-up call, and for that reason, I am pleased to support the Clean Air Act.

The Liberals should stop playing partisan politics and start recognizing the fundamental relationship between the environment and health of Canadians and join me in supporting the act.

Helena Guergis is the Conservative MP for Simcoe-Grey.