When Stephen Harper was the Leader of the Opposition, he said omnibus bills were unprincipled. However bill C-38, the ‘Trojan Horse’ budget bill, makes sweeping changes to 70 different laws. This is a blatant attempt to pass these major changes in one vote, without proper oversight or accountability.

Do you know what will be affected by this ‘Trojan Horse’ bill?

On the environment…

∙ repeal The Kyoto Protocal Implementation Act

∙ dismantle The Canadian Environmental Assessment Act

∙ exclude concerned citizens from assessments of major projects like the Enbridge pipeline

∙ download responsibility for most environmental assessments to provinces

∙ give final say over pipeline projects to Conservative cabinet ministers – regardless of environmental impacts

On health care…

∙ shortchange cash-strapped provinces of expected health transfers by $31 billion

∙ weaken food and drug regulations at the discretion of the Minister of Health

∙ end vital Auditor General oversight of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency

∙ pave the way for private contractors to perform food safety inspections

On jobs and pensions…

∙ force Canadians to work two years longer, to age 67, to qualify for Old Age Security

∙ cut workers off Employment Insurance if they don’t take any job the Minister of Human Resources deems “suitable”

∙ repeal The Fair Wages and Hours of Labour Act

∙ remove federal contractors from the protection of The Employment Equity Act

On ethics and democracy…

∙ reduce the Auditor General’s powers to hold the government accountable to Canadians

∙ remove the independent oversight from 12 key government agencies – including Rights & Democracy, the National Council of Welfare, and the First Nations Statistical Institute

∙ dissolve the Public Appointments Commission designed to ensure key positions are assigned based on merit instead of insider connections

Since the Conservatives refuse to allow a proper study of this enormous and signficant bill, New Democrats will be reaching out to experts, stakeholders and Canadians from coast-to-coast-to-coast through public meetings and through social media. We will continue to do our job as the Official Opposition – and ensure that this massive piece of legislation gets proper oversight.

Want to have your say? Take these easy steps!

1. Go to http://budget2012.ndp.ca/ and share your thoughts on this ‘Trojan Horse’ bill.

2. Tell your friends what is happening in Ottawa and why they should be concerned about this bill.

How do I do that?

It’s easy! At http://budget2012.ndp.ca/ there are easy-link buttons to Twitter and Facebook, as well as email! If you’re tweeting, be sure to tag me @danharrisndp!

3. Attend the Toronto-area Budget Consultation meeting on Tuesday May 22, 2012. For more information on that meeting, click here.

4. Tell me what you think of the ‘Trojan Horse’ bill! Send an email to Dan.Harris@parl.gc.ca with ‘Trojan Horse’ in the subject line and share your thoughts, concerns and ideas. I want to hear from you.