Editor:
Just over two months ago, the Conservative government announced this year’s federal budget would save taxpayers billions of dollars.
The Harper government came through on that promise, but they did so at a huge cost to our environment. Just what does this budget bill aim to do?
Here are just a few of the proposed amendments:
The bill aims to repeal the current Canadian Environmental Assessment Act and replace it with the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act 2012. This new act sets a maximum amount of time within which a review may be completed and allows the minister to shut down a review panel if he/she feels the review will not be completed on time.
This change is being done retroactively so projects including the Northern Gateway Pipeline can be moved through quicker.
The bill allows government to take authority away from the National Energy Board when making decisions concerning energy projects and instead gives that authority to cabinet, basically allowing government to override NEB decisions.
The bill contains changes to fisheries legislation, including rewriting parts of the Fisheries Act rules and protecting fish based on their use.
The bill proposes amendments to the Income Tax Act allowing the minister of national revenue the ability to withhold tax receipts from charities that he/she feels devotes excessive resources to political activism.
Close to home, Parks Canada’s budget cuts amount to roughly $29 million and the repercussions include privatizing the hot springs, shorter hours at park facilities and numerous staff cuts.
The Conservative government’s new “budget bill” weakens Canada’s environmental laws, threatens the integrity of our beautiful landscapes and waterways and it does so in an entirely undemocratic manner, hiding these changes within one enormous piece of legislation.
The government should be held accountable for these actions and should make its intentions clear by having fair debates over the proposed changes in parliament.
A new campaign Black Out Speak Out (Silence on Parle) urges citizens to speak up on behalf of our environment and speak out against Bill C-38. Write to your MP and voice your concerns. Make your opinions known to Joe Oliver (minister of natural resources), Peter Kent (minister of the environment) and Stephen Harper himself.
Let’s make our voices heard. We do not agree with the undemocratic ways in which our government is seeking to change our environmental laws and we will speak out
Maggie Nelson,
Canmore
