Is the Harper Government a Danger to Nature?

Dear friends across Canada (a letter from the AVAAZ (Voice) network),

The Harper government is forcing a massive “budget” bill through Parliament that secretly guts our environmental protection laws and threatens our forests, water and wildlife -- we only have days to help stop this outrageous bill before it passes.

This sneak attack would overhaul our social and environmental laws in one fell swoop, giving Harper’s Cabinet complete discretion to approve oil pipeline projects regardless of their impact on threatened species or water. But a member of Harper's own caucus has threatened to vote against it -- we can create an unprecedented outcry calling on Conservative MPs whose districts would be affected by these pipelines to reject the budget. If just one MP breaks ranks, others could follow.

This week, opposition parties are forcing votes on hundreds of amendments -- let’s support them and show Conservative MPs that the budget is too risky to pass unchanged. When 50,000 Canadians sign, we’ll deliver our voices to key Parliamentarians -- sign the petition and forward to everyone:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/sneak_attack_on_the_environment/?vl 

22,000 barrels of oil just leaked into Alberta’s wilderness when a pipeline ruptured, yet Harper’s so-called budget bill would systematically undo the environmental protection lawsdesigned to prevent these spills. If this bill became law, Harper and his cronies would have free reign to snake pipelines across threatened habitats, gut the Fisheries Act, and unleash massive amounts of climate-cooking gases into the world's atmosphere.

This bill would also prevent some seniors from receiving the Old Age Security benefit, make deep cuts to the CBC and toughen requirements for Employment Insurance, all while the government lays off thousands of employees. Harper gave MPs just four days to debate this 400-page bill, despite the massive legislative changes it contains.

The stakes could not be higher -- this bill would wreak havoc on Canada’s gorgeous natural environment, could have a devastating impact on a generation of seniors and the unemployed and makes a mockery of our parliamentary process. But with a huge public outcry we can show Conservative MPs that constituents across the country will fight Harper’s misguided budget. Click below to sign and forward to everyone:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/sneak_attack_on_the_environment/?vl 

Time and again we have raised our voices to triumph over bad policy and corrupt leadership, to promote fairness and vie for responsible government. Let’s show Harper that we won’t back down in this fight for the Canada we know and love!

With hope and determination,

Emma, Ari, Ricken, Laryn, Melanie, Stephanie and the entire Avaaz team

Sources 
 Andrew Coyne: Bill C-38 shows us how far Parliament has fallen (National Post)
http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2012/04/30/andrew-coyne-bill-c-38-shows-us-how-far-parliament-has-fallen/
 Four former ministers protest 'taking the guts out' of Fisheries Act (Globe and Mail)
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/bc-politics/four-former-ministers-protest-taking-the-guts-out-of-fisheries-act/article2446031/
 ‘To allow C-38 to masquerade as a legitimate omnibus bill will bring our institutions into greater disrepute’ (Maclean's)
http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/06/04/point-of-order-2/
 It’s time to speak out for nature and democracy (Pembina Institute)
http://www.pembina.org/blog/626
 Opposition parties joining forces to delay passage of ‘Trojan Horse’ budget bill (National Post)
http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/06/05/opposition-parties-joining-forces-to-delay-passage-of-trojan-horse-budget-bill/
 Harper's real agenda visible in budget bill (CBC)
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2012/05/01/pol-vp-greg-weston-harper-anniversary.html
 Old Age Security affordable without changes, watchdog says (CBC)
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2012/05/17/pol-old-age-security-parliamentary-budget-officer.html