Budget bill, take two: Conservatives haven’t learned their lesson

The 400 plus page bill further weakens environmental reviews

Conservatives clearly haven’t learned their lesson and the NDP will not let them quietly pass their new omnibus budget implementation bill tabled today.

“By presenting omnibus budget bills, Conservatives are preventing Parliament from doing its job,” said NDP House leader Nathan Cullen. “And our job is to thoroughly study all the different parts of this bill.”

In the spring, Conservatives attacked Old Age Security, Employment Insurance and health care transfers while also turning back the clock on environmental protection.

They are now further weakening environmental protection by removing pipeline projects from the Navigable Waters Protection Act. They are taking even more power into the hands of the minister – and doing all this without consultation.

They are also hurting research and development funding as well as the Public Service pension plans.

“Conservatives are proving that they did not listen to Canadians outraged by last spring’s Budget Implementation Act,” said NDP Finance critic Peggy Nash.

The NDP believes that a bill like this, with so many changes to different acts, should have been presented in separate bills.

“By tabling another 400+ page bill, Conservatives are trying to keep Canadians in the dark. The NDP will make sure that every piece of this large bill is studied carefully,” declared Opposition Whip Nycole Turmel.