Protecting Canada’s universal health-care system is job No. 1

There is a constellation of serious issues piling up on the desk of our new Health Minister, Jane Philpott. There’s how to legalize cannabis, while ensuring medicinal marijuana is accessible and of high quality. Simultaneously, the government must manage health warnings that should be applied as healthy people look to cannabis as a recreational drug. There’s ...

Elizabeth May Statement on anniversary of Health Accord’s expiration

OTTAWA – Elizabeth May, Leader of the Green Party of Canada and Member of Parliament for Saanich – Gulf Islands, issued the following statement on the anniversary of the expiration of the Canada Health Accord: “The Harper Conservatives’ decision to let the Health Accord expire and turn health care into a mere accounting entry in ...

Petitions – Lyme Disease

Elizabeth May: Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to rise today, and I wish to thank other hon. members who presented petitions today, as well, on the subject of Lyme disease and my private member’s bill, Bill C-442. This bill would call for a national Lyme disease strategy to improve the sharing of best practices, ...

Green Party Marks International Day for Biodiversity

The Green Party today celebrates the UN International Day for Biodiversity (IDB), designed to promote and protect the diversity of our ecosystems, species, genes, even our landscape. The IDB was first celebrated on December 29 when the UN General Assembly adopted the Convention on Biodiversity in 1993.  Canada played a leading role countering George Bush’s ...

Petitions – Lyme Disease

Elizabeth May: Mr. Speaker, I rise to present two petitions. The first petition is from residents of Vancouver, Alberta, as well as within my riding, in Sidney, Salt Spring Island and Victoria, in support of private member’s bill, Bill C-442. This is my bill calling for a national lyme disease strategy. I am very gratified ...

May 11th is the First-Ever World Lyme Disease Day

The Green Party of Canada wishes to mark the first-ever World Lyme Disease Day on Saturday, May 11th. Green Leader Elizabeth May introduced a Private Member’s Bill in June 2012 calling for the development of a national strategy to address the challenges of the timely recognition, diagnosis, and treatment of Lyme disease. The bill also ...

World Lyme Disease Day Rally

Public event for Green Party of Canada Leader Elizabeth May for Saturday, May 11th is: 1:30 p.m. PDT – Green Leader Elizabeth May will participate in the World Lyme Disease Day Rally in Victoria. Legislative Assembly of British Columbia Victoria, BC Notes: Event from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. local time. Ms. May will speak ...

Standing Committee on National Defence (NDDN)

This week The Standing Committee on National Defence (NDDN) held two meetings, including one in camera. On Monday March 18, 2013 the committee met in camera to discuss committee business. The minutes for the meeting can be found here. In this meeting, it was agreed that the committee travel to Washington D.C. and Colorado Springs, ...

Flaherty has changed – and more than just his footwear

There is a distinct change of tone in the 2013 budget. It is a matter of tone more than substance, but the jackboot style of Budget 2012 — the “we will build pipelines and the environment be damned” tone — has been replaced with a kinder, gentler message. This budget shows a sensitivity on issues ...

Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development (ANNO)

This week the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development met on Tuesday March 5, 2013, and Thursday March 7, 2013.  The meeting on March 5, 2013 was held in camera. In this meeting, the committee commenced its study of the controversial Bill C-428, An Act to amend the Indian Act (publication of by-laws) ...