Good Sunday Morning!
I am so pleased, now the leadership campaign is over, to once again be writing you an update on news and world events and our collective search for meaning. The leadership edition of Good Sunday Morning has been a major contributor to our discussions. Now we get back to our originally scheduled programme.
As I write this, I do not know who has won leadership of the Green Party of Canada. But as you read this, you know. Hoping for good news.
By next week, I can reflect on what it all means.
For now, my thoughts are with my dear friends John and Shelagh Levey. If you live in Saanich-Gulf Islands, you likely know them too. If you have not heard the very sad and unexpected news, John died suddenly early on Wednesday morning. His was a life well lived. He was kayaking and hiking, traveling and fully involved in many community projects. He voted for me this week before he died. I last saw him less than two weeks ago and he was as engaged and engaging as ever.
Such is life. It is transitory. I love the line from French theologian Pierre Teilhard de Chardin: “We are not human beings having a spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings having a human experience.”
To know John Levey was to know a spiritual being having a human experience. He was the essence of kindness, caring and thoughtful humanity.
My dear friend Shelagh was his life companion for over sixty years. She is a stalwart Green and loving additional “family” to my dog Xo. We will hold John close in our hearts forever. And we will be there in support of our dear friend – known to many of you.
This week in parliament was one of triumph. After much work and struggle, the Inuit hunters have prevailed. The doubling of the Baffinland nickel mine was rejected! My friend, Nunavut MP Lori Idlout, wrote out the phonetics for Inuktitut “Congratulations!” “Oo-pee-gee-va-gee!!” It actually translates as “proud of you!” We have worked together on this for years – even before she became an MP.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/nov/17/canada-arctic-mine-expansion-rejected-protest
On Thursday, I was very pleased that members of the Indigenous Affairs Committee voted to accept my amendment ensuring that the Indigenous Reconciliation Council (being established by Bill C-29) conforms with the Call to Action in the TRC Report.
In other news of Indigenous struggles to protect the environment, my bill to confront environmental racism, C-226, had hearings on November 4th. Mohawk leader and film-maker Ellen Gabriel was enormously courageous in her testimony. She described the toxic waste dumping in her community of Kanesatake.
The bill is moving forward, approved by the committee without amendments. Both the Bloc and Conservatives tried to remove the word “racism” from the bill. Thankfully, we had the votes to protect the bill. Meanwhile, I am trying to do everything I can to ensure Ellen’s safety. Criminal elements involved in the toxic dumping routinely threaten and intimidate community members. We have very little media coverage of this issue, but this article sums it up well:
It’s Not Illegal to Dump Toxic Waste on Indigenous Land (substack.com)
This headline presages another of my legislative efforts – to add a prohibition against dumping toxic waste on Indigenous land to the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, now being amended in S-5. All my amendments are due in by December 6. Green work in parliament scores win after win, but like the tree falling in the forest, if no one hears it, does it make a sound? My hope is that if I have been elected leader our impact will increase. Making a sound depends on media coverage of our impact.
As you read this, COP27 is likely still underway. Mike Morrice (my Green colleague in Parliament) has been sending updates from Sharm el-Sheikh. It is a massively disappointing round of negotiations. As greenhouse gas levels continue to rise, this COP appears to be watering down agreements from last year’s COP26 in Glasgow. Last year Canada agreed to the phase-out of coal being added to Paris commitments. This year, Canada has been unhelpful – rejecting efforts to call for a phase out of all fossil fuels. Canada rejected calls to add “oil and gas” to that goal – even though the goal is not attached to any deadline. Justin Trudeau did not bother to attend. Major news coverage quotes many Green leaders, but those outside the Global Greens will not know that the Irish Minister for Climate, the German Foreign Minister, New Zealand’s Climate Minister, and many others are all Green MPs.
In Question Period on Tuesday I pushed for Canada to stop its climate fakery: https://elizabethmaymp.ca/there-is-still-time-for-canada-to-be-part-of-the-solution-at-cop27/
On Tuesday it was not too late for Canada to get on the right side of this COP. Today is too late. We have officially come down on the side of one industry as bitumen paves the road to climate hell. Please God by next COP, Canada will have more Green MPs (through floor crossings, by-elections) and more Green traction to get Canada on the planet’s side.
All for now. We have a lot of work to do!
Love
Elizabeth
P.S.
Sharing a press conference I held this week with human rights defenders:
https://elizabethmaymp.ca/mps-reiterate-call-for-repatriation-of-canadians-detained-in-syria/
My speech on C-32 the legislation to bring in measures from the Fall Economic statement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YYA_nXqldE
For Saanich-Gulf Islands Greens supporters:
The SGI Annual General Meeting is coming up soon on November 27th @ 2pm, and we really hope that you will be able to join us! In-person and virtual attendance will be available, and you can find all of the details on the SGI Webpage here.