Green Caucus Week in Review | 03/09-03/13

Week in Review: March 9 - 13 (le français suit)

 

COVID-19 Update: In an unprecedented move, all parties in the House have agreed to suspend Parliament. Green MPs support the unanimous decision by parliamentarians to suspend the House of Commons until April 20 in an effort to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. For more information, please read the Green Party of Canada’s full press release.

 

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Elizabeth May, Larisa Hutcheson, Ines Khouider and Vicky Husband at an event for International Women’s Day with the Canadian Federation of University Women at St. Margaret’s School in Victoria

Welcome back to the Green Caucus Week in Review! Green MPs were busy in their ridings last week. MP Elizabeth May had speaking engagements in Toronto and Montreal before returning to Saanich – Gulf Islands.

In New Brunswick, MP Jenica Atwin was glad to see the implementation of new flood monitoring technology, called River Watch. She toured a recycling facility to celebrate Oromocto’s new glass recycling pilot project, and visited the recently opened Wolastoq Recovery Centre that offers holistic treatment for addictions.

Meanwhile, in the riding of Nanaimo-Ladysmith, MP Paul Manly held townhall meetings in Cedar and Saltair. Unfortunately, Paul’s upcoming community meetings are postponed until further notice. Paul has decided that it is best to lead by example and encourage social distancing at this time. Paul also attended a meeting hosted by Seniors in Care Crisis to discuss solutions to the conditions seniors face in care homes, in particular, Nanaimo Senior’s Village, which he brought up in the House again this week.

And in Victoria, Elizabeth participated in a Free Tibet march at the BC legislature.

All three Green MPs were busy on March 8^th, International Women’s Day: Elizabeth gave a keynote speech at an event with the Canadian Federation of University Women and St. Margaret’s school in Victoria; Paul participated in a march in Nanaimo; and Jenica ran (and hosted) a talent show for Oromocto First Nations youth.

Back in Ottawa this week, our Green MPs were busy in and out of the House. On Monday the Green Caucus joined other political parties in co-hosting a reception with Climate Action Network for a Green New Deal for Canada, and met with students from the University of British Columbia and the University of Toronto (U of T) participating in the Women in the House program. A student from U of T shadowed Paul on Tuesday.

At the first meeting of the Parliamentary Democracy Caucus on Tuesday, Elizabeth was elected chair.

On Wednesday, Elizabeth spoke at a symposium hosted by the French Embassy called Will Women Save the Planet? During debate on the Canada-US-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), Paul delivered a clear and cogent speech explaining why Canada must tackle the Investor-State agreements that give corporations extraordinary powers.

On Thursday, the Green Caucus held a press conference to counter false charges against climate activists from Conservative politicians. Green MPs addressed a concerning and growing trend to demonize and criminalize Canadians participating in non-violent civil disobedience for climate action. Jenica also spoke in the House about the invisible, unpaid labor that women contribute to society in caring for loved ones.

The week ended with an important announcement: the House was adjourned until April 20 in response to the COVID 19 pandemic. Green MPs will be staying in their ridings during that time, to limit their travel and exposure to other people.

Read on for Green Caucus interventions, questions, and statements in the House this week.

​For further updates on Elizabeth’s activities, you can visit her website, follow her on Facebook, and on Twitter. For updates on Paul’s activities, visit his website, follow him on Facebook, or on Twitter. For updates on Jenica’s activities, follow her on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

Paul Manly with Jasper and Oliver Lotan at the International Women’s Day March in Nanaimo

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Key Moments

• Jenica Atwin questions Parliamentary Secretary on a National Mental Health Strategy
• Paul Manly: Removing Investor-State Dispute Settlement provisions is the biggest win of CUSMA
• Paul Manly: The government should prevent foreign ownership of senior care homes
• Jenica Atwin: Statement for International Women’s Day
• Jenica Atwin: Canada needs universal, single-payer, public, prescription drug coverage 
• Elizabeth May: Will the Liberals support a national pharmacare strategy?
• Elizabeth May: We can’t forget about Canada-China investment agreements from the 41st Parliament
• Elizabeth May makes a statement on the adjournment of the House for COVID 19

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Question Period and Member’s Statements

• Paul Manly: Will the government support workers who have to self-isolate because of COVID 19?
• Paul Manly makes a statement one year after Ethiopian Airlines flight 302 crashed
• Paul Manly calls on the government to ban fracking
• Jenica Atwin: Will Veterans Affairs address the backlog of applications for benefits for families of former soldiers?

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Press Conferences

• Press Conference: Greens call on politicians to respect civil disobedience

Statements and Press Releases

• Statement for International Women’s Day
• COVID 19: Green Party calls on Public Health Agency to implement more robust protections for frontline health care workers
• Green Party welcomes progress between the Wet’suwet’en and the federal and provincial governments

In Their Own Words

• Elizabeth May – Good Sunday Morning
• Paul Manly - News

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Petitions

E-Petitions

• Public Climate Finance
• Reduce Microplastic Pollution
• Pesticides at CFB Gagetown
• Classify Cannabidiol as a Natural Health Product
• Open Competition for Research Funding for all Qualified Canadian Scholars
• Mandatory Labelling of all Genetically Modified Foods

​Government Response

• Rejoin the Convention on Drought and Desertification
• Reduce waste in Canada (mandatory Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) programs and Deposit/Return programs)
• Violence Against Women and Pay Equity
• Implement all 75 recommendations of the Cohen Commission to Protect Wild Salmon

Paper petitions

For paper petitions to sign and share, visit elizabethmaymp.ca/paper-petitions

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Events

Please visit the Green Party of Canada events calender for information on the MPs public events: https://www.greenparty.ca/en/events/all

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