A Conservative motion to limit the amount of debate on a sweeping budget implementation bill passed in the House of Commons on Thursday.
The motion passed 145-122 with the backing of the majority Conservatives.
Bill C-38, or the Jobs, Growth and Long-Term Prosperity Act, as it's known by the government, includes a number of measures set out in the March 2011 budget such as changes to Old Age Security.
But it also serves to implement the Conservative agenda in other areas that do not fall directly under the budget umbrella. For example, the bill would amend 60 different laws, eliminate a number of others, and makes massive changes to the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act.
Those environmental changes, which have enraged environmentalists, would streamline the process for corporations to get approvals for projects such as the Northern Gateway pipeline.
Twitter came alive with complaints after the motion to limit debate on such broad and controversial measures, was passed.
"There we go: Time limits on the debate on the destruction of environmental laws under C-38," Tweeted Green Party leader Elizabeth May.
Liberal MP Wayne Easter also weighed in: "Just spoke in the House against time allocation on Bill C-38 - 425 pages that could change Canada. Limit debate? Unacceptable," he said.
The Conservatives want the bill passed by summer.
