Federal New Democratic Party leader Jack Layton stressed the importance of fighting climate change in his address to the provincial NDP convention.

In a scrum with reporters after the speech my Public Eye colleague Sean Holman asked him why.

“The climate change crisis is the largest crisis faced by the global community,” said Layton. “All other leaders seem to realize it and they're trying to bring their countries into an advanced position. Our prime minister [Stephen Harper] still has his foot on the brakes and his head in the tar sands.”

The Tyee reported yesterday that people including former MLA David Cubberley felt provincial leader Carole James should have spoke more about climate change in her speech.

Shane Simpson, the NDP MLA for Vancouver-Hastings and a former environment critic for the party, argued that James may not have used the right “buzz words” in her speech, but that the convention, including James' speech, has largely focussed on the links between the environment and the economy.

Asked what role the provinces can play, Layton said, “The provinces have enormous possibilities. Many provinces are taking far more actions than the federal government.” His focus is on holding Harper to account, he said.

Layton also spoke at length about his party's opposition the the HST, saying it's the wrong time to introduce a new tax.

Andrew MacLeod is The Tyee’s Legislative Bureau Chief in Victoria. Reach him here.