UPDATED 7:26 p.m. Tuesday

OTTAWA — Following sweeping changes to environmental laws, hundreds of scientists and supporters marched on Parliament Hill Tuesday to protest the “death of evidence” at the hands of the Conservative government.

Evoking images of the Grim Reaper, protesters held a mock funeral procession through the streets of Ottawa before ending up at the House of Commons.

They chanted: No Science, No Evidence, No Truth, No Democracy.

They were upset with cuts to federal science research and massive changes to environmental laws contained in Bill C-38, the budget bill that passed in June.

A central theme of the rally was the planned closure of the experimental lakes area, a research station in Ontario that produces critical data used to combat acid rain and phosphate pollution in lake water. Without government funding, it is slated to close in 2013.

“The experimental lakes area is a world-class, living, outdoor laboratory where scientists have studied how to protect freshwater for decades,” said Maude Barlow, head of the Council of Canadians and a former senior adviser on water to the UN General Assembly.

“The Harper government is shaming Canadians in the eyes of the world and killing a major gift to water science at the very moment we are really beginning to understand the depth of the global water crisis.”

During the past four months there have been almost weekly announcements about cuts to government science, Jeffrey Hutchings, a biologist and Dalhousie University professor who spoke at the event, said.

“It’s been staggering scientists and citizens who are concerned about the country,” he said.

Bill C-38 controversially overhauled Canada’s environmental assessment and fisheries protection laws. Changes included limiting the time for environmental assessments and narrowing the definition of protected habitat.

Government ministers were also given more discretionary power over environmental reviews.

“It’s pretty clear why the changes were made,” Hutchings said. “They were made to make it easier for ministers to ... allow for development to take place out of the limelight of the public eye.”

The Death of Evidence event was organized by academic scientists along with organizations such as the Canadian Civil Liberties Association and the Council of Canadians.

No government scientists were publicly listed as organizers and it’s not clear how many attended the rally.

Organizer Scott Findlay, a University of Ottawa biologist, said the event would give a voice to government scientists who are being increasingly muzzled by the government.

“There were lots of government scientists here today incognito. That’s all you need to know,” he said.

The government has continually said it takes the environment seriously, but is streamlining the rules to find a balance between environmental stewardship and economic development.

Shortly after the protest, Minister of State for Science and Technology Gary Goodyear sent out a news release highlighting government funding for environmental research.

“The Harper government has made historic investments in science, technology and research to create jobs, grow our economy and improve the quality of life for Canadians,” the release says.

“Support for science and technology has been a fundamental priority of our government since 2006. This year, through Economic Action Plan 2012, we enhanced federal government support for leading-edge research.”

With The Canadian Press

(pmcleod@herald.ca)