Now that the Liberal leadership has warmed up we, the long-suffering environmentalists, have our work cut out for us - the environment must be an issue.

I say this knowing that not one of the Campbell clones gives a rat's ass about environmental issues. If for no other reason, we must vocally make ourselves known so that they can't complain afterwards that we didn't raise the matter.

Looking at the candidates and assuming that Christy Clark will be in, I see nothing to choose amongst them with the exception that Kevin Falcon is the worst of a bad lot. What is so terrifying about this political situation in our province is that the Liberals may win again in default of another option.

On Nov. 30, Carole James laid down her policies, and one can only read them with a mixture of anger and sorrow if you care for our natural resources.

The environment was well down the list of priorities, and what she did say was the usual political baloney. Generalities - nothing specific.

I have the feeling that one of two things prevail in the NDP's plans - either the rivers, our salmon, our Agricultural Land Reserve, our coastline mean nothing but issues for loudmouths like Donna Passmore, Alexandra Morton, Rex Weiler, Joe Foy - and, yes, I will immodestly include Rafe Mair, or she and the NDP haven't got the guts to raise them as they are, preferring mindless political blather.

I voice this anger because if the NDP doesn't raise these issues, Liberal leadership wannabes won't either.

This question for Carole James and her party - are the serious breaches of the Agricultural Land Reserve, the slaughter of salmon by sea lice from salmon farms and the bankrupting of B.C. Hydro while destroying our environment, threatening our environment with pipelines, just second- or third-tier issues? Is it that the thousands who march, write and support the fights I've mentioned are just noisy kids who can be silenced by an ice cream cone with a warning that no further criticism of their "betters" will be tolerated?

Ms. James talks of "tough work and tough conversation." Does tough conversation not include abusing farm land for highways? Fish farms? Pillage of our rivers and theft of our great power company, B.C. Hydro? Our pristine coast? Each one of those headings calls either for very tough questions and decisions or indifference. There is no middle ground to be suffocated by banal baloney.

Either you state unequivocally that the Agricultural Land Reserve is a sacred issue, or you don't care because you can't have a "protection when convenient" policy.

Either you force fish farms out of our waters or you don't. Either we prevent large corporations trashing our rivers while destroying B.C. Hydro, or you don't. Either we permit pipelines bringing Tar Sands sludge across the province and down our coastline or you don't.

In short, meaning nothing personal, of course, you can't be a little bit pregnant. Either you take them on in clear unmistakable, unadorned English, Ms. James, or you will quite properly be called a coward.

We all know that there is dissension in the NDP ranks. If that means that we'll only have the "tough conversation" when you can keep your troops from deserting, it will be too late. From the point of view of the environmentalist, the only thing worse than losing an election on these issues would be losing without a fight.

H.L. Mencken once said, "Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit upon his hands, hoist the black flag and begin slitting throats."

Those of us trying to preserve what we have for future generations, hearing the bilge we do, indeed - figuratively speaking, of course - feel ready to start wielding cutlasses.

Rafe Mair is a political commentator. Check him out at www.rafeonline.com.