Economic Action Plan 2013 (Bill C-60)

Elizabeth May: Mr. Speaker, I wish to support the points that have been made by the House leader of the official opposition and the House leader for the Liberal Party. Limiting debate is always antidemocratic, but I want to raise the particular situation of members of Parliament who, like me, are members of parties that ...

Economic Action Plan 2013 (Bill C-60)

Elizabeth May: Mr. Speaker, I would make one initial observation of the budget implementation bill. By my reading, at least, everything in it was actually mentioned in the budget. That makes it a first since I was elected to this place. Other omnibus budget bills have been full of things that were not there. I ...

New Disposal at Sea Regulations Potentially “Damaging”: May

The Harper Conservatives have quietly posted new regulations in the Canada Gazette concerning the disposal of “dredged waste or other matter at sea (disposal at sea).”  This includes the “spoils” from dredging as part of offshore oil and gas projects. “The new regulations will reduce scrutiny over dumping of hazardous material at sea,” said Green ...

Reality check on Transport Canada’s claims for tanker safety

Harper’s public relations and spin team hit Vancouver in March claiming to have substantially revamped environmental protections for pipelines and tankers.   Minister of Natural Resources Joe Oliver and Minister of Transport Denis Lebel described their new regime for oil spill safety against the backdrop of the Port of Vancouver.  Minster Joe Oliver trotted out a ...

Budget 2013

Elizabeth May: Mr. Speaker, I would like to return to the point that the hon. member for York Centre raised in his speech, which was that the government in no way has raised any taxes at all. Well, by most definitions, tariffs are taxes, and so are payroll taxes. There has been a very steep ...

An Evening With Kevin Page

Past Parliamentary Budget Officer Kevin Page spoke to a packed house in Victoria on April 4th. Over 1,000 people watched at least part of the event online, on top of the 300 who were in attendance. Green Party Leader and Member of Parliament for Saanich-Gulf Islands Elizabeth May introduced Mr. Page prior to his talk ...

The Budget

Elizabeth May: Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague from Dartmouth—Cole Harbour for his presentation and specifically for raising the subject of VIA Rail. I have also gone through the budget, and the weirdest thing about the budget, which is pretty singular for any budget in Canadian history, is that it does not include numbers. ...

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 ...

Flaherty Changed More Than His Shoes

The Green Party of Canada notes a distinct change 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 – is replaced with a kinder, gentler message. This budget shows a sensitivity on ...

Elizabeth May Budget Consultation Letter Made Public

The Green Party of Canada makes public Elizabeth May’s federal budget recommendations sent to Finance Minister Jim Flaherty as part of his Department’s pre-budgetary consultations. Mr. Flaherty solicits input from all MPs in the run up to the preparation of the federal budget. In her letter, the Green Leader and Member of Parliament for Saanich-Gulf ...