A Conservative cabinet minister says his party's attack ads aimed at Liberal Leader Stephane Dion are designed to end his free ride on the environment file.

"He calls himself an environmental hero, but he sat around a cabinet table and was environment minister in a government that oversaw one of the worst environmental records in the world," Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney told CTV Newsnet on Sunday.

"Air quality went down. Carbon emissions skyrocketed ... and we're ending his free ride on the environment."

Greenhouse gas emissions rose 27 per cent in Canada between 1993 and 2003, according to figures from  the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. Environmentalists blame the increase on a surge in carbon energy exports, troubles in Ontario's nuclear energy sector and government inaction.

In 2002, the Canadian Alliance and Progressive Conservative parties, the forerunners of the Conservative party, voted against ratification of the Kyoto Accord, the global treaty designed to fight dangerous climate change.

Dion, who became Liberal leader in early December, was environment minister starting in 2004. In April 2005, he delivered the Liberal government's $10-billion climate change plan.

The Conservatives dismantled it but have since resurrected parts.

"I mean, they have done nothing on the environment in over a year. Now they are busy stealing all the green clothing off the Liberal clothesline," Deputy Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff told CTV's Question Period on Sunday.

"It's a strategy of desperation, especially on Super Bowl weekend," he said.

About four million Canadians are expected to watch the NFL championship game. One of the Tory ads will run during the game.

The party is paying for the campaign. Kenney wouldn't give an estimate of its cost.

One of the ads has Ignatieff, who ran against Dion for the party leadership, telling Dion in an Oct. 15 debate that the Liberal party "didn't get it done" on the environment.

Dion exploded in reaction: "This is unfair ... You don't know what you speak about. Do you think it's easy to make priorities?" Ignatieff didn't serve in government.

The ad's message: "Leaders set priorities. Leaders get things done. Stephane Dion is not a leader."

Election timing

"We're also pointing that he wants an election as soon as possible. We don't want one, the Canadian people don't want one," Kenney said.

Dion told reporters last Tuesday that "We don't know when an election may come ... so we need to be ready."

However, he has also said he expects one in 2007.

In an interview with The Canadian Press on Sunday, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said he doesn't want an election right now because it would likely result in another minority government.

Dion didn't speak to reporters on Sunday, although he did release a video statement on the Liberal website about Parliament resuming on Monday.

While Dion tried to brand himself as a green candidate, a Strategic Counsel poll for CTV and The Globe and Mail had respondents ranking the parties' environmental plans as follows:

• Green Party - 27 per cent
• Liberal Party - 16 per cent
• Conservatives 12 per cent
• NDP - 8 per cent
• Bloc Quebecois - 2 per cent
• Other - 4 per cent
• Don't know - 30 per cent

"Everyone knows or suspects that the Conservatives are nowhere on this issue, and the poll demonstrates that, but it also shows nobody else is anywhere on this issue," The Strategic Counsel's Allan Gregg told Question Period.

While one poll this week put Conservatives ahead of the Liberals 35 per cent to 32 per cent, most recent polling has had the Liberals slightly ahead.

However, when one factors in the margin of error, the two parties are essentially in a statistical tie.

With a report from CTV's Rosemary Thompson