Brad Wall in Paris and the Speech from the Throne

Canada's dissenting voice at the United Nations Climate Change Conference?

"It's been a bit frustrating to read that," Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall told The House from Paris.

• Saskatchewan premier argues the economy can't be sacrificed for the environment

• 'We can't forget the economy': Premier Brad Wall on climate change talks

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Since he arrived in the French capital,Wall has been portrayed as a contrarianamong Canadian premiersby raising issues about the economic implications of fightingclimate change.

It's a characterization thatseems to frustrate Wall.

"Saskatchewan comes to this conference earnestly, understanding that we are a per capita high emitter, so we need to do better in our province," Wall said, pointing out, for example, that the province is investing in carbon capture.

"I don't know how Saskatchewan can be an outlierin this when we are offering a potential solution," he says a solution, Wall argues,that could be"more important that any carbon tax we could do nationally orsome sort of cap-and-trade program that we could do nationally."

Legally binding targets?

The Premier of Saskatchewan was sceptical the Paris talks couldresult in a deal that would include legally binding targets.

"I don't know how it could be in the United States," he said."I'm not sure how you can have an agreement that's legally binding if the United States, the largest economy in the world, simply can't sign it because the President doesn't have the confidence that he can get it passed by the Senate and the House."

Wall said ifthere are no legally binding targets south of the border, the same should hold true in Canada."I don't know why we would, honestly, because I think we need to remainin step with our American counterparts."

42nd Parliament

Also on today's podcast,Heather Scoffield, the parliamentary bureau chief for the Canadian Press, andJoel-Denis Bellavance, parliamentary bureau chief for La Presse, look ahead to Friday's Speech from the Throne.