Hundreds of Canadian organizations and businesses are darkening their websites today, to protest the Conservative government's omnibus budget bill.

The national movement knows as Black Out, Speak Out, was started by some of the country's leading environmental groups.

Ed Whittingham is the Executive Director of the Pembina Institute, and says it's aimed at defending two core Canadian values, nature and democracy.

" We think that these values are under threat due to the sweeping changes to Canada's environmental laws that have been proposed in latest federal budget, and i think these changes would seriously weaken environmental laws, and put the future of our air, land, water and climate at risk, " said Whittingham who says environmental groups are the victims of an unprecedented government stranglehold.

Those involved say the budget bill, C-38, replaces the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, empowers the government to crack down on charities, including environmental groups, and rushes projects through a weakened environmental review process.