This video presents “Canadian citizens against the Conservative Omnibus Budget Bill (C-38)”
- “Since the Harper Conservatives announced their Omnibus Budget Bill, more and more Canadians are rallying against a Bill that would put a black mark on our democracy.
- Even some traditional Conservative allies are now saying that the Harper Conservatives have gone too far.
- Last week, David Wilks, a Conservative MP, told a small group of his constituents that he, and many other Conservative MPs, were deeply troubled by the Budget Bill and that he would consider voting against it if 12 of his colleagues, enough to stop the bill, stood with him.
- A day later, after receiving intense pressure from the Harper Conservatives, Wilks publicly reversed his position.
- Thirteen Conservatives are needed to help defeat Bill C-38.”
The Avaaz team is urging Canadians this week to petition all Conservative Members of Parliament and especially those whose ridings will be affected by oil pipelines to reject the omnibus budget bill — Bill C-38, which would:
- seriously compromise the health of our environment by
- allowing pipelines to be built in ridings across the country
- exposing our cherished wilderness to oil spills
- set a dangerous precedent for our parliamentary democracy and
- threatens a range of environmental and social protections without allowing for adequate public debate
- 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
At the time of this blog posting, 48,461 Canadians have signed.
Please help us get to 50,000 signatures by signing the Avaaz petition in the following letter:
” Dear friends across Canada,
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 with new pipeline projects — but we can create an unprecedented outcry calling on Conservative MPs whose districts would be affected by pipelines to reject the budget. If just one MP breaks ranks, others could follow! Sign now:  |
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 laws designed 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 ”
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