Be Aware: It's Conservative Budget Time

The Conservative Government is tabling their budget January 27th. It will outline how they see the next year. It could spell further cuts to the very things that we need to ensure a sustainable future. Please be sure to pay attention to what happens. It could also set of the next round of intense election or coalition talk if the liberals and NDP decide to stand up. However the scariest issue has been raised by the Green Party. They sent around the followning email:

"The financial crisis has created a political stampede to stimulate the economy, and as usual the Conservative government is using a crisis as a cover. It is planning to dismantle Canada's environmental protection legislation. Transport Minister John Baird said recently that the plan to speed up infrastructure spending is being held up by 100-year-old rules. This is the same man who gave us a climate change plan designed to accomplish nothing other than media hits.

"He was referring to the Navigable Waters Protection Act, a law that has enabled the federal government to protect lakes and rivers for a century. It, along with the Environmental Assessment Act and the Environmental Protection Act, gives the federal government both the right and the responsibility to preserve Canada's natural heritage. Last Thursday, environmental groups released evidence that the government plans to gut the Environmental Assessment Act.

"These environmental laws were written so that the environmental implications of projects are considered before construction begins. They are of fundamental importance to protecting our wildlife, our air, and our water.

"Too many times in the past we have ignored the environment in our rush to go faster only to learn, once it was too late, that the environment was at risk.

"The Green Party advocates stimulating the green economy to create jobs and secure our children's future, but we cannot let the financial crisis cloud our judgment. We must see it as an opportunity to make the right kinds of decisions, to preserve our environmental protections, and to invest in the green economy.

"The budget will come on January 27th, and all the attention will be focused on the billions being spent and the huge deficit. We can't let the Conservative government use the budget and the crisis to cover up the dismantling of Canada's environmental protection legislation.

Please join us in raising the alarm. Voice your concern!

1. Contact the Hon. Jim Prentice, Minister of Environment, to let him know we are watching.
2. Write a letter to the editor of your local paper.