On the day a sweeping international climate change treaty took effect, Ottawa found itself under fire for failing to make clear its plans for compliance.

Negotiated in Kyoto, Japan seven years ago, the Kyoto agreement has since been ratified by 140 countries including Canada.

Under its terms of signing on, Canada has agreed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to six per cent below 1990 levels by 2012. This would represent a 26 per cent reduction from projected 2012 levels.

Canadian greenhouse gas emissions have in fact risen every year since Canada signed on to the protocol in 1997 -- pushing the country 30 per cent higher than 1999 levels.

Nevertheless, Environment Minister Stephane Dion told CTV's Canada AM on Wednesday, that the upcoming federal budget outline initiatives on the environment.

Accounting for the giant land mass, abundant natural resource industry and growing economy that make Canada the "toughest target of all Kyoto countries," Dion said it will satisfy "industries, the scientific community, the environmental groups and every citizen."

A more detailed plan will follow, he added.

"This plan must be strengthened. We need to have a more robust plan and this will be released pretty soon."

But during the House of Commons daily question period, it was clear the ministers assurances failed to satisfy his critics.

One after the other, opposition MPs rose to demand the government explain why it's yet to table a clear, detailed plan for Kyoto compliance.

Dion reiterated that he plans to unveil a detailed, well-funded plan soon, that he is certain "will galvanize Canadians."

Prime Minister Paul Martin also stood to defend his government's environmental record -- and point to his announcement that Montreal will host a major international summit on climate change later this year.

But NDP House Leader Bill Blaikie stirred applause from the opposition benches, when he asked whether Montreal would be under a smog alert then, as the nation's capital was just days ago.

"A conference is not a plan," Blaikie said. "And I hope for the prime minister's sake it's not a smog day in Montreal when they have the conference.

"We'll have hot air on top of smog and still no plan after all this dithering."