The budget and your voice

Apr
27
2012
Chances are, if Ottawa crossed your mind yesterday it involved the Senators. It’s practically un-Canadian that (despite a fantastic Sens effort last night) we’re once again faced with a Canadian-team-less Stanley Cup playoff. 
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Chances are, if Ottawa crossed your mind yesterday it involved the Senators. It’s practically un-Canadian that (despite a fantastic Sens effort last night) we’re once again faced with a Canadian-team-less Stanley Cup playoff. 

Un-Canadian, too, were many things in another Ottawa event: the huge bill to implement the federal budget was introduced. Normally, it’s as unremarkable as a Saturday night in the capital, but this year was different as the government’s assault on anyone not on speed-dial with powerful oil interests continued to accelerate.
 
We’ll start with the unprecedented crack-down on environmental charities.
 
My own charity has been around for 28 years. We’ve won big victories on everything from banning toxic chemicals to protecting greenspace to using more clean, renewable energy. But don’t be lulled into thinking we’re respectable. Oh no. Because from time to time, we—like many other charities of all kinds—actually say something.
 
It’s true. We sometimes have an opinion. Which, it should be said, is legal and a legitimate activity for a charity. Or at least it was until powerful oil interests decided they didn’t like our opinions much.
 
So they set up a sham group that’s been laying complaints about environmental charities with the Canada Revenue Agency. And lo and behold, the federal budget responded by announcing expensive new rules clearly aimed at tying environmental charities up with endless red tape (ironic given the government’s obsession with cutting alleged red tape for vested industrial interests. But I digress).
 
There are 1,483 words in the section outlining new rules for charities. 1,483 words! And you thought your tax return was complicated.
 
It’s pretty un-Canadian when multi-billion-dollar, foreign-owned companies polluting our country with tar sands drilling are being positioned as victims. And the full power of the federal government rides to their rescue by coming down hard on charities that try to chart a different course.
 
But don’t feel left out. Your rights were impeded, too.
 
Yes, the budget bill wasn’t content to try and shut charities up. Because powerful oil interests need new pipelines that First Nations, communities and coastal fishers don’t want, the budget also makes approving them much easier.
 
Environmental assessments have been part of Canadian law for ages. How long? We regularly won Stanley Cups back when they were introduced. But who needs to hear from regular people or groups when they may not want what Big Oil does?
 
Not the federal government. So out go cornerstone elements of the environmental review process and key fisheries and wildlife protection legislation, and in comes Ottawa, ready to approve projects likety-split. 
 
In all, the budget bill that landed yesterday does something brand new for this country. It elevates the rights of powerful oil interests above those of citizens. 
 
I guess the hockey rink isn’t the only place where I wonder what happened to Canada.

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May
14
2012

Balloon Release


Katie Gatsis Triggs says:

Hi,
I realize you are environmentalists so you probably aren't keen on balloon releases, however, I think that wide-open visual displays of protest to the oil sands are needed to amp up the debate politically on this cross-roads issue in Canadian economic/energy/democracy policy....that is Gateway pipelines driving through BC from Alberta's oil sands to fill China's insatiable appetite for cheap fuel. I am familiar with polymers and since balloons are made from rubber tree's natural nylon, they do biodegrade. I thought a great campaign would be to organize for protesters of the project all around the earth to stage a time and date to release a stamped balloon from their individual corners of the earth. It would be interesting to watch how many balloons would fly from any given city on that scheduled date and time, don't you think? Would it be possible for a non-profit such as yourselves to stage such a spectacle by issuing kits to interested parties to release gas filled balloons by mail? Just an idea. The Minister of the Environment of BC literally admitted to me in a letter today that BC's hands are tied on the issue of a pipeline. As such any regulating board, such as the NEB, in BC is beholden to the outcome of the Review Panel underway. BC does not have a say, save for their participation in the hearings, of any greater weight or merit than any of the other players involved in the process. If as you say that the public is being systematically minimized by the Conservative Government's policies, then this kind of subversive action should be called forth to get people asking questions, talking and buzzing about what they are being encouraged with public propaganda to ignore and forget.

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