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Thousands join together to protest the federal budget by darkening their websites on June 4.
Ottawa (31 May 2012) - Eleven Canadian environmental organizations have launched a major online protest against the Conservative government's plans to reform environmental laws as part of the federal omnibus budget implementation bill.
On June 4, environmental organizations, representing millions of Canadians, will "black out" their websites as a protest to the silencing of voices and heavy-handed and wrongheaded changes contained in the federal budget. But the movement has gained traction with more than just environmentalists.
Community associations, development groups, trade unions, anti-poverty groups and ecumenical organizations are just a few who are deeply concerned about the far-reaching and devastating effects of this budget bill will have. All have committed to darken their websites to show their opposition to these changes.
The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) has also signed onto the protest over its outrage at the Conservative government's budget.
Concerns about the budget range from the weakening of actual environmental protections and the removal of oversight in a number of areas but also the changes which allow cabinet and the prime minister's office to have much more control over the decision-making process.
Not only have these environmental changes been buried in the 400-page budget bill but the Harper government has limited second reading debate to only seven days.
The New Democratic Party (NDP) is urging the government to carve out the environmental changes from the massive bill in order to ensure enough time and consideration is given to the content before a vote in the House of Commons.
"It is inappropriate to put so many sweeping changes to so many different areas in the budget bill. The Conservatives are trying to hide from the oversight and accountability that Canadians deserve," NDP House leader Nathan Cullen said. "A bad budget lasts a year. These implementations will last, perhaps, a generation," Cullen said. "What the government is obviously afraid of is having any kind of scrutiny."
The government has steadfastly refused to extend time limits or separate portions of the bill for further examination.
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NUPGE
The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is one of Canada's largest labour organizations with over 340,000 members. Our mission is to improve the lives of working families and to build a stronger Canada by ensuring our common wealth is used for the common good. NUPGE