Canada’s leading environmental organizations have launched a campaign to protest against unprecedented attacks on two core Canadian values: nature and democracy.

Known as Black Out Speak Out (or Silence, on parle, in French) the campaign will invite organizations, businesses and bloggers from across Canada to darken their websites on June 4, and speak out against the dismantling of Canada’s environmental laws.

Black Out Speak Out begins Monday May 7 with full-page ads in the Globe and Mail, La Presse and Ottawa’s Hill Times. It also includes websites www.blackoutspeakout.ca or www.silenceonparle.ca.

Silence is not an option for Canadians who care about the protection of nature and democratic discussion. Changes introduced in the federal government’s budget act (C-38) are placing the future of our land, water and climate at risk. The changes are making it easier to rush headlong into potentially damaging industrial projects, and harder for Canadians to have any say.

We’re asking you and other bloggers who care about nature and democracy to help us spread the word about our cause on your blog. For the next month, you can also speak out on Twitter using #blackoutspeakout, and share our facebook page at facebook.com/BlackOutSpeakOut. And, we invite you to join in our nationwide action, and darken your site on June 4.

Participating environmental organizations include CPAWS, David Suzuki Foundation, Ecojustice, Environmental Defence, Equiterre, Greenpeace, Nature Canada, Pembina Institute, Sierra Club of Canada, West Coast Environmental Law, and WWF Canada.

We hope you’ll participate in the campaign. More information in our press release at http://blackoutspeakout.ca/press_release.php.

Chris Sutton
Communications Director
Nature Canada