HARPER GOV’T: SNEAK ATTACK ON OUR ENVIRONMENT

The following are excerpts from AVAAZ.ORG’s Harper Government – Sneak Attack on our Environment:

Avaaz is a global web movement to bring people-powered politics to decision-making everywhere.

The Harper government is forcing a massive “budget” bill, C -38, 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 … 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…

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, C-38, 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.

Please click on the link below to add your voice to the petition:

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