Sunday, March 18, 2007

Green critics not invited to budget lock-up

Harper's green rhetoric notwithstanding he doesn't want critical remarks about his budget immediately it is released. This is no doubt a sign that there are weaknesses in his environmental policy evident in the budget.


Green critics locked out of budget lock-up
Mar 17, 2007 04:30 AM
Les Whittington
Ottawa Bureau

OTTAWA–Environmental groups that have been critical of the Conservatives say they are no longer being afforded the privilege of going over the federal budget before it's released publicly.

Climate Action Network, Friends of the Earth and others have not been invited to a budget "lock-up" being held by the federal finance department to give interest groups a chance to familiarize themselves with the complex document so they can comment knowledgably as soon as it becomes public.

"It's the first time we have had such a cold shoulder," said Beatrice Olivastri, chief executive officer of Friends of the Earth. The group has been critical of the Harper government's environmental approach and "its intention not to comply with" climate-change reduction requirements under the Kyoto Protocol, she said.

La Presse said Greenpeace and Equiterre were also not invited to the preview.

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