Prime Minister Jean Chrétien officially ratified the Kyoto Protocol in 2002, committing Canada to reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 6 per cent below 1990 levels by 2012. This decision was made despite strong opposition from the Canadian Alliance and Progressive Conservative parties, which expressed concerns about the potential economic impact and the feasibility of meeting the targets. The ratification aligned Canada with international efforts to combat climate change, though it sparked significant debate over how the country would achieve its emission reduction goals while balancing economic growth.