Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver defended the government's use of an omnibus budget bill to pass changes to environmental regulations, arguing the opposition can put its expert critics on a subcommittee studying the changes.

Sources tell The Canadian Press the federal government will use the catchphrase "responsible resource development" to brand moves to streamline environmental assessment, remove bureaucratic barriers to resource extraction, and change the way the Fisheries Act oversees Canada's waterways.

What began as a series of environmental "teach-ins" in the U.S. 42 years ago against a backdrop of student protests opposing the Vietnam War has turned into a global event that encompasses everything from tree planting in Indonesia to marches on Parliament Hill.

The government's budget implementation bill introduced today contains the major changes to the environmental assessment process announced last week by Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver.