Opposition Motion – The Senate

Elizabeth May: Mr. Speaker, I am very concerned that the democratic deficit in this place could be more urgently handled by focusing on those things that do not require opening the Constitution, such as removing the requirement for a leader to sign nomination papers and reducing the excess and unhealthy power of the PMO. However, ...

Fair Representation Act

Ms. Elizabeth May: Mr. Speaker, I have a question for my hon. colleague from Etobicoke Centre. The issue of how to approach this is not easy. I recognize the government has made an attempt through this legislation, but I cannot believe that most Canadians think it is a good idea to add 30 more members ...

Harper not above the law…. Not on Wheat Board or Global Climate Law

The Green Party of Canada was pleased today with the ruling of Federal Court Judge Douglas Campbell that the Harper government violated legislation in its efforts to rush through the killing of the Wheat Board. The Canadian Wheat Board Act requires a vote among farmers and better consultation before the monopoly could be ended.  “The ...

Youth, democracy and Child Honouring

Publication Source:  Gulf Islands Driftwood Source Link: View the full original article >> When my old friend Raffi asked me to speak to issues of democracy and child-honouring, I happily accepted. I love any excuse to come to Salt Spring Island and I am a supporter of the Centre for Child Honouring, so the acceptance came ...

Senate Reform Act (D)

Ms. Elizabeth May: Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague from Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques for his very interesting speech. I have a question about the reality of this bill. I find it fascinating that the federal government is in no way bound by this, which of course it cannot be because of exemptions in the Constitution ...

Senate Reform Act (C)

Ms. Elizabeth May: Mr. Speaker, there are a couple of different aspects of the bill that are troubling. I spoke earlier in terms of the constitutional ways in which we become ensnared. However, we have not had an adequate discussion across Canada of the difference it will make to the house of sober second thought ...

Senate Reform Act (B)

Ms. Elizabeth May: Madam Speaker, I wish to congratulate my hon. friend from Sackville—Eastern Shore for being elected the most congenial of members of Parliament five years in a row. He reflected that in not taking any hits against any person named in the Senate, who are all good people. I want to buttress his ...

Senate Reform Act

Ms. Elizabeth May: Madam Speaker, one of the things that I hope to address later today in my presentation on this bill is the constitutional difficulties of reforming the Senate. I am particularly attracted to the NDP proposal that the Senate should be abolished. How does the hon. member for London—Fanshawe and her party contemplate ...

Canadian Wheat Board (C)

Mr. Don Davies: Madam Speaker, I want to bring a personal perspective to this debate. My grandfather, Vincent Varyu, who passed away in 1981, came to this country in 1926 from Hungary. He came pursuant to an immigration plan that encouraged farmers, particularly from Europe, to come to Canada. He landed in Halifax, took a ...

Canadian Wheat Board (B)

Mr. David Anderson: Madam Speaker, I appreciated the member opposite’s comments. She seems to be a little more rational than some of the other folks on the other side who have been bringing forward points that need to be considered here. I am very glad to have folks from across Canada talk about these issues ...