While hundreds milled about at the Green Living Show on Friday, two men met face-to-face in the crowd, confronting each other as well as the myriad criticisms reserved for the new Conservative environment plan.
On one side was Tory Environment Minister John Baird, defending the very strategy his staff accidentally faxed to Liberal opposition members Tuesday night.
On the other, Canada's most famous ecological scientist, David Suzuki, who wanted to tell Baird personally that his plan is little more than a "disappointment."
"When I met with Minister Baird last week, he promised all kinds of great things and it's been a big disappointment to see what it is," Suzuki insisted.
"It's all smoke and mirrors."
Suzuki claims Stephen Harper's government is ignoring the Kyoto Accord, claiming Ottawa hasn't set any firm dates that it's prepared to meet.
"He is turning his back on the Kyoto process which we are signed on to and he is not setting hard targets for reduction starting right now," he added.
Suzuki continued his confrontation with Baird by insisting there's still opportunity for further action, and in the end the men parted amicably with Baird promising his ministry would be "very happy" to meet with Suzuki again.
Under the Conservative plan, most environmental targets would be reached by 2025, which is 13 years too late by Kyoto standards.
But Baird tells a different story, promising his government's new emissions regulations are a "middle ground" between industry and environmental concerns.
The minister was also quick to point fingers at the previous Liberal government for not addressing greenhouse gases, as well as the Ontario Grits for not delivering on an election promise to close coal-fired electricity plants.
Not surprisingly, Suzuki endorsed the provincial Liberals, and Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty wasted no time firing back at the Tory plan, maintaining it falls short of Canadian expectations and promising Ontario will go further.
"Later this spring our government will be issuing a climate change plan that will help Ontarians make the kinds of positive choices that together make a real difference," McGuinty said.
The premier also used the opening of the Green Living Show - held at the Direct Energy Centre - to announce energy rebates for homeowners.
Dubbed "Turning the Corner," the Conservative government strategy focuses on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving air quality.
And while everything from the efficiency of household dishwashers to the carbon dioxide emissions of Alberta's oil sands will be encompassed by the new regulations, Canadian households will take a hit as the prices for appliances, cars and electricity are expected to rise.
But none of this is music to the ears of opposition leaders.
"In order to have a strong economy we need to have energy efficiency, we need to modernize our industry," said federal Liberal leader Stephane Dion.
"The best way to do it is to bring the environment and the economy together, but this government does not believe in it.
"This is not a plan, it's a scam."
"This isn't going to get the job done," seconded NDP frontman Jack Layton.
"It's going to have us playing catch up and we're never going to catch up with other countries at this rate."
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