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Environment Minister John Baird defended the Conservative plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions Friday as critics, including environmentalist David Suzuki, blasted the initiative.

"Some environmentalists will say this doesn't go far enough and some in the business community will say it goes way too far," Baird told CTV's Canada AM on Friday.

"We think it's a balanced good plan. We can continue to grow the Canadian economy but at the same time take real action to fight climate change."

The plan calls on major industrial polluters to reduce greenhouse gas emissions but the government will not meet its Kyoto targets until 2025 -- 13 years late.

Baird blamed the delay on Stephane Dion and the previous Liberal government, saying they allowed greenhouse gases to go up by 27 per cent during their time in office.

"If we had brought our plan in by 1997, we'd have fully been able to meet the Kyoto targets," he said. "We can't take responsibility for the last 10 years. But this government is prepared to take responsibility for cleaning up the environment in the next 10."

Respected environmentalist David Suzuki came out swinging Friday, calling the plan an embarrassment that was more of a sham than a strategy. Suzuki said the government must meet the terms of the Kyoto accord on time -- regardless of expense.

"Mr. Baird, you are the minister of the environment, not the minister of finance," Suzuki told reporters at a press conference. "Your job is to protect the environment."

He said Canada needs to set the example for other countries.

"If we can't do it, why should India or China or all of the other developing nations pay any attention to the issue of emissions reduction?" questioned Suzuki.

Suzuki even confronted Baird at an environmental consumer show in Toronto Friday where both men delivered speeches. He told Baird that the plan was inadequate and said there was opportunity for further action.

"It's not enough, John," he said.

In response, Baird said the Tories were going further than any other government in history. The two men parted amicably with Baird saying he'd be "very happy" to meet with Suzuki.

Ontario's Liberal premier, Dalton McGuinty, sided with Suzuki on the debate.

"It falls short of Canadians' expectations," he told reporters. "I think we can reach further. And we intend to do that here in Ontario, when we put out our Climate Change Plan."

Baird's plan aims to:

• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 18 per cent from for existing industry by 2010 (based on 2006 levels);
• Reach a reduction target of 26 per cent by 2015;
• Cut emissions by 150 million tonnes, or 20 per cent from current levels, by 2020; and,
• An as-yet-undetermined mandatory fuel-efficiency standard for the auto industry, starting with the 2011 model year.

Along with Suzuki, other critics have stepped forward to voice disapproval with the new plan.

Julia Langer of the World Wildlife Fund disputed how the government calculated its targets, by not using Kyoto's baseline of 1990 levels.

"They way they have put it -- 20 per cent reduction by 2020 -- they're counting according to a baseline that nobody uses," she told Â鶹ӰÊÓnet.

If you calculate that based on the internationally recognized baseline, we're still going to be above 1990 levels in 2020. That's nowhere near our Kyoto target."

Kyoto calls for a six per cent cut below Canada's 1990 level by 2012.

With a report by CTV's David Akin and files from The Canadian Press