ARCHIVES: Looking for back issues? CLICK HERE Wednesday, June 6, 2012 Sea to Sands Conservation Alliance protests Bill C-38 A3
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‘Black mark’ Bill C-38
Bill PHILLIPS/Free Press
Beverly Anderson and Ian Hayes (right) were among about 40 people who protested in front of Prince George-Peace River MP Bob Zimmer’s office Saturday. The group was protesting the Conservative government’s 400-page omnibus bill bringing sweeping changes to the country.
Rally held in front of MPs’ office on Saturday Bill Phillips editor@pgfreepress.com
Upset with the Conservative government’s decision to ram through an omnibus bill, about 50 people protested outside Prince George MP Bob Zimmer’s office Saturday. A smaller group also protested outside Cariboo-Prince George MP Dick Harris’ office. It was part of a nation-wide protest organized by Leadnow. “The Kyoto protocol has been cancelled, (the bill) repeals the Fair Wages and Labour Act,” said local organizer Karen Anderson. She pointed out that the bill is more
than 400 pages long and every item in the bill refers to another bill, which means the secondary bill has to be examined to fully understand what the action in the omnibus bill is. And that takes time ... time the government isn’t allowing. “We really think that it needs to be broken apart,” she said. “We need to know what all of those things are and why they are happening to us. They know what they want to do and that’s that.” Anderson, who is active in her union, the Construction Maintenance and Allied Workers, said the rally is the first time she’s organized something like a rally. “We’re here to stand up for democracy,” she said. “If (the bill) passes the way it is, it will
be a black mark against democracy.” The organization is hoping for 13 Conservative MPs to stand up and vote against the bill. She said she has sent Zimmer an email but has yet to hear back from him. Neither Zimmer nor Harris were at their offices in Prince George Saturday. Zimmer was in Fort St. John attending a ceremony to honouring veterans. “We’re in a free country, they absolutely have the right to do that,” Zimmer said Tuesday about the protest. “I respect their right to protest.” However, he “fundamentally disagrees” with the view of the protestors. Zimmer said the Conservatives want to balance the federal books by the next election and the
budget is key achieving that. “We’re being aggressive with getting the budget under control,” he said. That’s the rationale (behind moving on many items at once) ... We’re trying to do it in a way that won’t hurt Canadians.” The Sea to Sands Conservation Alliance held a second protest on Monday (See story Page A3), arguing that Bill C-38 weakens environmental protection law. “I just disagree,” said Zimmer. “Some folks want no natural resource development at all, but they put fuel in their cars.” Zimmer said natural resource development can happen in responsible manner. “We have to have a rationale discussion about it.”