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Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion tabled an opposition motion Thursday calling for the federal government to reaffirm Canada's commitment to the Kyoto Protocol, labelling climate change “the single most pressing ecological threat facing our country.

“I call on the Prime Minister to implement the initiatives I have called for today,” Mr. Dion said. “This country cannot wait, this planet cannot wait.”

The call came in the wake of word that Environment Minister John Baird was being dispatched to Paris for a key conference this week on climate change.

That decision followed a political firestorm in this country over a five-year-old letter written by Prime Minister Stephen Harper in which he called the Kyoto accord a “socialist scheme” aimed at sucking money from wealth-producing nations.

In Paris, Mr. Baird will be briefed by leading scientists whose work inspired the accord.

The group is to release a major report on the issue Friday.

Early reports have suggested that the document will argue that there is “unequivocal” evidence that climate change is real and happening faster than expected.

During Question Period — where the issue has been front and centre for much of the week — Mr. Harper accused the Liberal leader of “trying to deny his own record” on the same issue.

“The simple fact, Mr. Speaker, is that the leader of the Liberal party had 10 years to get the job done,” Mr. Harper said.

“He didn't get it done...The reason Canada isn't meeting its international targets is because of ten years of inaction.”

In introducing Thursday's motion, Mr. Dion described Conservative efforts on the issue as “baby steps” and told the House: “Canadians are not fooled. They know that this Prime Minister has no commitment to fight climate change. His only motive is to prepare for an election.”

The Liberal motion calls on the government to “reconfirm Canada's commitment to honour the principles and targets of the Kyoto Protocol in their entirety.”

It also calls for Ottawa to establish a “cap and trade” emissions-reductions system and regulations industry, using the Canadian Environmental Protection Act to launch the action.

In the House of Commons on Wednesday, Mr. Harper said he would accept an invitation to a summit on global warming being called for by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon is one was received.

Canada signed the Kyoto Protocol in April of 1998, committing the country to reduce its greenhouse-gas emissions to an average of 6 per cent below 1990 levels during the years 2008 to 2012.

The Conservatives have long been critical of the Liberals' efforts on the environment while they were in office. New Conservative TV ads have argued that emissions are about 27 per cent above 1990 levels.

Before leaving for Paris, Mr. Baird also responded to the motion in the House, criticizing the Liberal record.

“I'm glad the Liberal party brought forward this motion today because it's an opportunity to remind them of their shameful record over 13 years of inaction on the environment,” Mr. Baird said.

“And to make things worse, the leader of the Opposition's track record is very regrettable on environmental issues.”

With Canadian Press