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Speak out on "June 4, 2012" in defence of two core Canadian values: nature and democracy.

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"I'm speaking out in defence of nature and democracy #BLACKOUTSPEAKOUT http://bit.ly/KC6bzE".
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Right now, CANADIAN Parliament is pushing through a bill
to weaken many of the country's most important environmental protection measures
and silence the voices of all Canadians who seek to defend nature.
Today it's our voice; tomorrow it could be yours.

Here are the top five reasons to Speak Out:

1.Charities are being targeted. The government is adding $8 million
in new funding for the Canada Revenue Agency to audit charities like environmental groups
in spite of the fact they have simply exercised their legal right to advocate for things
like laws to fight global warming. This will have a chilling effect on democratic debate.
What's more, under these new laws, citizen groups will likely be shut out
of environmental reviews of big projects like oil pipelines.
Key government agencies with expertise will also have less input.
Well-funded backroom lobbyists and political operatives will have greater influence.
2.Canadians' participation in Parliament is being disrespected.
Instead of following the established process for making sweeping changes,
which allows for thorough public debate, these changes are being shoehorned
into a massive budget law. This drastically reduces the amount of consultation
on a whole variety of topics. These changes will have serious consequences
for all Canadians and our voices are not being heard.
3.Nature is being put at serious risk.
The Canadian Environmental Assessment Act is being replaced
with a totally new law. Under it, Ottawa will play a much smaller role
in protecting people from harmful projects, while retaining the right
to basically rubber-stamp big projects that powerful oil interests want.
And the new weaker rules are being applied to review processes
that are already underway–so projects like the Enbridge Northern Gateway
tankers and pipeline project could get an easier ride.
4.Too much power is in the hands of too few.
The National Energy Board will no longer be able to say "no" to oil
pipeline projects that are not in the public interest.
Politicians in Cabinet will be able to overrule the expert energy
regulator if powerful oil interests don't like its decision.
Permits that allow the destruction of habitat for fish and threatened
or endangered species will now be issued behind closed doors
without public scrutiny, if they are required at all.
5.Trusted advisors to government that provide high-quality analysis
for balanced policy are being ignored.
The 2012 budget eliminates the funding
for the last remaining government advisory body –
the National Roundtable on the Environment and Economy (NRTEE).
The NRTEE provides analysis and advice on how to meet
our international commitments to reducing greenhouse gas pollution.
Many lakes, rivers and streams that provide habitat to fish
will be at greater risk of destruction because of changes to the Fisheries Act
contained within the budget implementation bill. H
ealthy fish habitat is important for fish and for the people and businesses
that depend on them.

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Recent press coverage and news from Black Out Speak Out:
•May 5th - Ottawa should halt its smear campaign against pipeline detractors
•May 6th - CBC's The National
•May 7th - Tories reject calls to carve up budget bill
•May 7th - Minister defends Tory environment plan, dials back criticism of charities
•May 7th - Environmental groups blast Tory ‘war on nature’ in new ad campaign
•May 7th - Environmental groups launch anti-budget ads
•May 10th - ANGEL & INSECT
•May 10th - Majority of oilsands ownership and profits are foreign, says B.C. analysis
•May 12th - Speak out for the environment and democracy on June 4
•May 13th - Look at the other side of the petrodollar coin
•May 14th - Tory rhetoric creates chilly climate for free speech
•May 17th - Enviro group just 1 of top 10 foreign-funded charities
•May 17th - Tory ministers crash budget hearing, leaving little time for questions
•May 23rd - 15 ways to use a 450-page federal budget bill
•May 23rd - Conservative MP David Wilks breaks ranks and says budget bill should be split up
•May 23rd - John Ivison: Criticism by Conservative MP shows depth of unease over omnibus budget bill
•May 24th - Crowd voices displeasure with federal 'Trojan Horse' budget bill
•May 28th - 'Black Out, Speak Out': Canadian internet campaign targets 'undemocratic' bill
•May 28th - Four former ministers protest ‘taking the guts out’ of Fisheries Act
•May 28th - Opposition aims to disrupt passage of omnibus Tory budget bill
•May 29th - L. Ian MacDonald: Repeat after me, folks: This is what a majority government does