In addition to laying out what votes in might be prepared to put the budget bill to, the NDP also released a report today on its public hearings. You can read that report here.
In addition to laying out what votes in might be prepared to put the budget bill to, the NDP also released a report today on its public hearings. You can read that report here.
The Government’s omnibus Budget Implementation Act, C-38, has caused shockwaves of concern across the country. The bill contains hundreds of harmful measures, and the process to ram them through under cover of the Budget Implementation Act undermines effective parliamentary scrutiny and democratic debate. Canada`s New Democrats proposed that the massive 425 page bill be split into separate sections to permit proper study of its substantive measures, but the Conservatives refused.
In response, the NDP caucus organized alternate public hearings in Ottawa and in cities across the country in May 2012 to ensure Canadians’ views were heard on this Trojan Horse Bill. (A full list of MPs and witnesses for each hearing is included in the appendix). The NDP caucus has also invited Canadians to submit views directly to http://budget2012.npd.ca. The response has been overwhelming. Canadians are outraged at the undermining of democratic process and deeply concerned by the range of measures being proposed – including proposals to gut environmental protection, cut pensions, reduce government accountability, and undermine the health of Canadians. This report provides an overview of key concerns raised by citizens and experts about Bill C-38 in the hearings across Canada and via the NDP`s Budget 2012 website.