Week in Review: January 25 – 29 (le français suit)
Welcome to the first sitting week of 2021! This week started with two emergency debates. On Monday, parliamentarians sat until midnight to debate President Biden’s decision to cancel the Keystone XL Pipeline. Elizabeth was clear that the real emergency remains the climate emergency, and that Canada should respect the United States’ decision to cancel the pipeline. She also stated that subsidies to the fossil fuel industry must end to facilitate a just transition to a clean-energy economy for workers.
On Tuesday, MPs sat until midnight in another emergency debate on Canada’s vaccine rollout. Elizabeth asked the Minister whether Pfizer’s attempt to negotiate tax cuts would affect access to the vaccine for Canadians. Paul reminded the government that reintroducing publicly funded labs would help Canada face the next public health emergency.
In her question this week, Elizabeth drew attention to the plight of the ground transportation industry, which has been suffering during the pandemic. Coach bus companies such as Wilson’s on Vancouver Island, and Maritime Bus are essential services that are at risk of going under because of predatory banks. She called on the government to prevent banks from requiring immediate payments from these businesses so that they can continue to provide essential services to remote communities. CTV News covered the issue and Elizabeth’s question.
Paul called for more regulation in the housing market to crack down on money laundering and other market distortions. He noted that without strong regulation, rents are increasing, affordable housing is disappearing, and more Canadians than ever are becoming homeless.
Once again, Jenica asked the government to provide direct funding to community mental health organizations and to commit to national mental health standards. Canadians need more from their government than resource websites.
Jenica, Paul and Elizabeth held a press conference this week calling for a question to be allotted to the Green Caucus during Wednesday’s Question Period, when the Prime Minister is in attendance.
Earlier in January, in a vote between all MPs, Elizabeth and Jenica won Most Knowledgeable and Rising Star, respectively, in the Maclean’s magazine Parliamentarians of the Year Award.
Key Moments
- Elizabeth May: Essential ground transportation companies are in crisis
- Elizabeth May: Cancelling Keystone XL is not a crisis compared to the climate crisis
- Elizabeth May: The Emergencies Act could help address the crisis in Long Term Care Homes
- Elizabeth May: Canada must respect President Biden’s choice to cancel the Keystone XL Pipeline
- Elizabeth May: Canada must stop subsidizing fossil fuels and transition to a clean energy economy
- Paul Manly: It’s time for a wealth tax in Canada
- Elizabeth May: The government should be wary of Pfizer trying to negotiate tax cuts
- Paul Manly: Should we use the Emergencies Act to prevent deaths in Long Term Care Homes?
- Paul Manly: Reintroduce public labs in Canada so that we can be ready to face the next pandemic
- Elizabeth May: Essential ground transportation services are being pushed into bankruptcy
- Elizabeth May: Banks profit off the pandemic while essential businesses are pushed into bankruptcy
- Elizabeth May: What became of the $200 million invested in antibody treatments for COVID-19?
- Paul Manly: UK TCA is another flawed trade deal
Question Period and Member’s Statements
- Paul Manly: Money laundering and lack of regulation is making Canada’s housing unaffordable
- Elizabeth May reacts to Bill C-14 and pushes the government to do more
- Paul Manly: CRA gave CERB applicants wrong information. The government must own their mistake.
- Paul Manly: Stand up against hate
- Elizabeth May: The ground transportation sector is in imminent danger of going under
- Jenica Atwin: Can the government commit to funding mental health service providers?
Press Conferences and Media Releases
- Press conference: Greens raise concerns with current Question Period allotment – Jan 27, 2021
- Press Conference: Greens join in multi-party press conference to mark the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons coming into force
- Greens go public with objections to anti-democratic actions by the larger parties
- Greens raising alarm on rapid erosion of public transportation across Canada
- Green Party urges focus and collaboration as MPs return to Parliament
In Their Own Words
- Elizabeth May: Good Sunday Morning – January 24
- Paul Manly: Housing and Homelessness: The Crisis in Our Communities
Petitions
- e-3028 Accede to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (closes Feb 6)
- e-3037 Reject CP Logistics Park in Pitt Meadows (closes Feb 14)
- e-3071 Discontinue GDP measurement and shift to a wellbeing economy (closes Feb 27)
- e-3094 Reduce dependency on China (closes March 8)
- e-3058 Ban fracking, transition to renewable energy (closes March 21)
- e-3014 Modernize the complaints review panel of the Canadian Judicial Council (closes May 7)