Nuclear free zones were all the rage during the heyday of the Cold War. It was considered vogue for Mayors and Councillors to pass motions exempting their municipality from the ghastly horrors of nuclear weapons.

The battle between the free world and the less so free world has morphed into the unexpected. Premier Ralph Klein's cold war with the federal Liberals has taken the form of an Alberta Kyoto free zone. The Klein government recently announced legislation allowing Alberta to chart its own environmental destiny that would freeze-out Ottawa's implementation of Kyoto in the energy-rich province.

Klein fears, with good reason, the Kyoto protocol will put the Alberta and Canadian economies in the deep freeze.

The Canadian Manufacturers Association estimates Kyoto could cost the Canadian economy as much as $40 billion and kill 450,000 jobs. Meanwhile, Ottawa remains mum on Kyoto's economic impacts.

Canadians deserve a national debate on the issue of climate change and what Canada is prepared to do.

Back in 1997, representatives of the Government of Canada flew to Kyoto, Japan to commit this country to an international protocol to reduce greenhouse gas emissions without consultation or informing Canadians of the government's position beforehand.

Now, five years later, Prime Minister Jean Chretien told the international community that he expects Parliament to ratify Canada's adherence to the Kyoto Protocol by the end of this year. However, several questions remain unanswered:

What is the potential economic impact for Canada in terms of job losses, higher taxes and higher prices if Canada ratifies the Kyoto Protocol

The energy and manufacturing industries in Alberta and Ontario are expected to suffer from Kyoto's emission-control targets. How will the have-not provinces, BC included, cope with less generous equalization payments from the economically hard hit have-provinces of Ontario and Alberta

How will our economic competitiveness be affected when the United States - BC's largest trading partner - refuses to sign on

How much will it cost Canadian taxpayers over the coming decades to buy unused greenhouse gas emissions trading credits from countries such as China, India and Russia, amongst others

What will happen to Canada in international relations if we, as a country cannot meet our Kyoto commitments by 2012 Will international fines be imposed How will taxpayers pay for them

Adopting the Kyoto Protocol has the potential to harm every region and affect every citizen. It poses a serious economic risk on the foundation of shaky science and faulty policy.

Ottawa has no mandate to commit the country to an economic ice-age and run the risk of driving energy and manufacturing industries and jobs across the border to Kyoto-free USA.

Before passing Kyoto with the Liberal's majority in Parliament, a national referendum should be held to enable Canadians to accept or reject a specific legislative proposal on emission-control targets and their economic impacts.