Stephen Harper: Liberals David Anderson

Conservative Government Dept: The four ministers included former Progressive Conservative Tom Sid-don, who delivered a scathing clause-by-clause critique of the legislation before a parliamentary committee here Wednesday, according to Vancouver Sun. "It makes a travesty of the democratic process," said Siddon, who served as fisheries minister from 1985-90 and introduced major policy changes dealing with fisheries habitat protection. "To bundle all of this into a budget bill, with all of its other facets, is not becoming of a Conservative government, period." The four former federal fisheries ministers from B.C. who wrote a joint letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper condemning changes to the Fisheries Act don't appear to have read the legislation, Environment Minister Peter Kent said Thursday. Siddon, who signed the letter with former Tory colleague John Fraser and Liberals David Anderson and Herb Dhaliwal, condemned the Harper government Thursday for creating a "Swiss cheese" fish legislation that is so full of loopholes it will benefit lawyers far more than fish or fish habitat. He also said the sweeping fisheries changes shouldn't be part of a 425-page omnibus budget implementation bill, which includes measures affecting matters such as Old Age Security and immigration. The bill is being rushed through the House of Commons before the summer break begins in late June. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.