David Anderson (CP file photo)

Former Liberal environment minister David Anderson says all the federal parties need to focus more on the environment during this election campaign.

Anderson is critical of all parties, including his own. He says the Liberal government has some solid environmental policies, but hasn't done enough to pursue them. "In the debate, in the discussion, in the election, the issues of the environment do not appear to be front and centre," he said Anderson has joined two other former environment ministers – Liberal Charles Caccia and Conservative Tom MacMillan – in issuing a challenge to the leaders of the major political parties. Anderson says he's concerned that the Liberals have done too little to meet Canada's targets under the Kyoto accord. And he says it's not clear what a Conservative government would do. "The issue that we're debating now is, 'Oh, well it may be difficult to do so let's not do it at all.' I say it may be difficult to do, so therefore let's try even harder to do it." Anderson has long been on record opposing drilling for oil and gas off the B.C. coast. He doesn't expect the Liberals to raise the issue in this campaign because it's so sensitive.

The B.C. Liberal government has been pushing the federal government for years to lift its moratorium on offshore oil and gas exploration. Environmentalists say the federal Liberals have been two-faced on the issue. Responding last month to a survey sent out by Greenpeace, Liberal party officials say the issue of drilling off the West Coast is complex, the environmental impacts are likely to be minor, localized and reversible. The NDP and the Greens both say a flat no to offshore drilling. There's been no response yet from the Conservatives.