Combating Terrorism Act (Bill S-7)

Elizabeth May: Mr. Speaker, my hon. friend is also a neighbour in the riding of Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca. On a related but different point, I want to thank him for raising in question period yesterday the need to support our firefighters. Motion No. 388 went through, although we seem to have no action to bring ...

Privilege – Alleged Non-Compliance with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms by the Department of Justice

Elizabeth May: Mr. Speaker, I completely support what we have just heard from the hon. member for Winnipeg Centre. What we have been forced to see is bill after bill, and those of us who have practised at all in the law who are watching recent court proceedings have a grand sense of misgiving that ...

A devastating first year of Conservative majority rule in Canada

The mainstream media is marking its report cards for the one-year anniversary under Harper Conservative majority rule. The bromides are calming—the Globe and Mail editorial gives the Conservative majority a positive spin—“more ups than downs”—while its reporter, John Ibbitson, wrote a piece nearly oozing with reverence for the prime minister. It is clear we all ...

Safe Streets and Communities Act (Bill C-10)

Elizabeth May: Mr. Speaker, given the previous experience of the member of Parliament for Mount Royal as a minister of justice, and given that we do not have any tabled documents from the Department of Justice attesting to the fact that this legislation does conform to the requirements of the charter, would the hon. member ...

Safe Streets and Communities Act (Bill C-10)

Elizabeth May: Mr. Speaker, earlier in his speech, the member for St. John’s East made reference to the international effort for the legalization of cannabis. I want to emphasize that four of the last five mayors of Vancouver and former premier Mike Harcourt have made the same plea, that in an effort to stop wasting ...

Safe Streets and Communities Act (Bill C-10)

Elizabeth May: Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order relating to our obligations as members of Parliament in relation to the Standing Orders. I have looked at this matter and, although we all took an oath to Her Majesty the Queen, it is well understand that our oath is not actually to Her ...

Safe Streets and Communities Act (Bill C-10)

Elizabeth May: Mr. Speaker, I find myself in the same predicament as the Liberal leader. This legislation cannot be passed from our point of view because there are so many egregious elements in it. Most opposition members, certainly the Green Party and from what I hear the hon. member for Mount Royal and the Liberal ...

Safe Streets and Communities Act (Bill C-10)

Elizabeth May: Madam Speaker, the Minister of Justice and I have at least one thing in common: at one time or another we have been members of the Canadian Bar Association. That very knowledgeable body presented a brief of over 100 pages, based on substantial evidence, that the bill could put more criminals on the ...

Kyoto withdrawal: There must be a political price to be paid

I am just back from Durban and COP17.  So is Peter Kent.  Only he came back and announced that Canada will strike a blow at the fragile agreement that was just produced.  As I am sure you have heard, Canada has filed the legal paperwork to withdraw from Kyoto. Never before in Canadian history has ...

Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights (JUST)

The committee met once this week on 8 December to consider the request made by four members of the committee to undertake a study of Bill C-290 , An Act to amend the Criminal Code (sports betting). Jack Harris (St. John’s East, NDP) spoke to the bill and urged the committee to oversee it before ...