February 28

Thirty-seven came to this ASK Salt Spring gathering to welcome MP Elizabeth May and her new Constituency Coordinator, Aysha Emmerson. After her Territorial Acknowledgement, Elizabeth shared delight about her new granddaughter, Lily, born October 30, 2024. While already the loving grandmother of step-grandchildren, Elizabeth has been blown away by the love, delight, and adoration she feels for her daughter Cate’s baby.

After we all had a chance to introduce ourselves, Elizabeth started our discussion of local, federal, and transnational issues by addressing the local concerns of one participant about derelict boats in Ganges Harbour as well as hazardous garbage, including many batteries, littering the beaches.

This individual had recently collected a trunkful of these environmentally-dangerous batteries littering our shores to dispose of off-Island. Thinking he had been doing a good deed by collecting batteries from our seashore, he was surprised by being categorized as a dangerous cargo by BC Ferries staff, isolated from other vehicles on the ferry, and warned that disposing of these batteries could be a big problem. He also spoke about the many sunken and derelict vessels littering Ganges Harbour, hazardous to our environment, as well as being unsightly and navigational dangers.

We learned from Elizabeth that an omnibus bill under Stephen Harper, C-45, gutted the Canadian Navigable Waters Act (https://www.ourcommons.ca/Content/Committee/421/TRAN/Brief/BR8698385/br-external/TruyensAnn-2-e.pdf). In violation of the Douglas Treaty, the relaxation of the Navigable Water Act is of concern to many, including Chief Don Tom (Chair of the W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council). Among the protections C-45 removed was the regulation of mooring buoys.

Trying to reverse the environmental damage of this legislation, in 2023, Bill C-344 (An Act to amend the Wrecked, Abandoned or Hazardous Vessels Act https://www.parl.ca/legisinfo/en/bill/44-1/c-344) was passed. This law requires a registration system for vessels. The funds generated from this registration system are designated to pay for the removal and disposal of abandoned and derelict vessels. Elizabeth echoed constituents’ frustrations at a lack of visible change since this legislation was passed due to a lag in its implementation.

Early in 2024, all members of the Southern Gulf Island Forum, a unique, solution-seeking collaborative of local elected officials, including First Nations, (https://southerngulfislandsforum.ca/), wrote a letter to the Minister of Transport questioning why this legislation’s implementation was lagging. Over a year passed before a response was received from Minister Anita Anand, appointed fall of 2024. Elizabeth credited the Minister for responding to this letter after it had been ignored by others in the Ministry for many months before Anita’s appointment. Unfortunately, this recently-received letter still did not provide the required answers. Elizabeth has since penned a sharply worded letter on behalf of the Forum to Anita, a Minister for whom she has much respect, politely, but determinedly, requesting additional answers and action.

This dissonance between the passage of legislation and the development of the regulations to implement it is not limited to water legislation. Citing Vanessa’s Law (https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/legislation-guidelines/questions-answers-regarding-law-protecting-canadians-unsafe-drugs-act-vanessa-law.html), Elizabeth spoke of this drug legislation with which she had been involved that had taken years to pass and implement. When it was finally implemented, the requirement that drug test results be made available to the public was changed by Health Canada to require first signing a non-disclosure agreement. The release of drug testing results that cannot be shared is a clear example of implementation efforts that changed or even undermined the intent of legislation.

Elizabeth was then asked about the possibility of lifting interprovincial trade barriers considering the Trump Administration’s tariff threats. Elizabeth began her response by noting that the 27 European Union (EU) countries have managed an integrated flow of trade and services while, in Canada, the provinces, and territories have not. She noted that interprovincial trade barriers cost the country as much as $200 to $300 billion annually in commerce.

In addition to the free trade of products, Elizabeth stressed the importance of removing restrictions on the trade of labour between provinces illustrated by the licensing requirements that prevent essential workers, like doctors, from easily practicing across provinces. Given doctor shortages across Canada, free trade of labour is another key aspect of interprovincial trade that must be considered.

Elizabeth knows that we can do better. . . and the US threat may be exactly the impetus needed to dissolve those costly interprovincial barriers that threaten free trade in Canada. Can’t we do as well as these 27 independent EU countries? While these trade barriers are deeply entrenched, Elizabeth sees their removal as a feasible solution, confident that they can be dismantled if the political momentum, public pressure, and collaboration between Premiers is maintained. She reminded us that, ultimately, interprovincial trade barriers are the jurisdiction of the provinces.

The EU was able to plug the Ukraine into their electricity grid within a matter of months. Why can’t Canada develop East-West connectivity so that Nova Scotia can, at long last, stop burning coal, for example? Elizabeth is confident that Canada can sell its electricity to Canadians, following the EU’s example and enabling greater, cleaner energy sovereignty.

Elizabeth was asked whether a Canadian Prime Minister could grab dictatorial power, mirroring the U.S. President. She responded that much of what Trump is doing is illegal, strategically planned over the past four years. It is illegal largely because the US was formed after a revolution. Founding Fathers determinedly instituted checks and balances to avoid dictatorship – such as giving the power of the purse to Congress.

In Canada, checks and balances in our Westminster parliamentary system are structured differently from the US As a result, a Prime Minister with a majority government who is determined to dictate could do so legally through acts of parliament. Elizabeth suggested four actions to prevent dictatorial tendencies in our own country:

1. As a representative government, it is essential that those elected represent the will of the people. Unfortunately, with our “first past the post” electoral system, it is very possible for someone to be elected who does not have the support of the majority of voters. In Elizabeth’s opinion, the only way to solve this is electoral reform instituting proportional voting (https://www.fairvote.ca/what-is-proportional-representation/), which the Trudeau administration had promised but failed to deliver. While this reform will not stop a determined dictator, it would at least require that anyone in power has been elected by most Canadian voters.
2. Abolish political parties in Canada, which often lead to Members of Parliament voting against the interests of the constituents they represent, voting, instead, to support their party’s interests. Consider an elected governance model like the one in the Northwest Territories, which operates by consensus and does not presently recognize political parties. The Green Party is the only party that does not ‘whip’ its members and encourages MPs to vote independently of one another, with the best interests of their constituents at heart.
3. Take away the large budget and staff of the Prime Minister’s office. In Elizabeth’s opinion, it is unneeded for the more limited role the Prime Minister was originally intended to fulfill. The Prime Minister is not a President.
4. Toughen up the oath taken by our elected representatives to ensure that they fully understand their responsibilities as well as the consequences of violating these responsibilities.
5. Be wary of the source of our information, depending upon credible, local sources as much as possible. (A “shout out” to our local news, the Driftwood, CHiR.fm, and the Exchange. We are blessed to have such strong and reliable local news sources!).

With the US suddenly the biggest threat to Canada, what does Elizabeth suggest?

• We should not be depending upon the US for military equipment, such as F-35 fighter jets. We must avoid orders for needed spare parts going through the Pentagon for approval. There is increasing interest in purchasing submarines from Norway and aerospace technology from Sweden.
• What about our coastal defenses? We must better align in the Arctic with the Circumpolar Inuit Polar Conference (https://www.inuitcircumpolar.com/).
• We may need to consider supporting local, nationally-sanctioned Civil Defense groups to protect us in case of natural and political threats. Are our Border Officials sufficiently prepared were a US vigilante group to be deputized, bringing guns to our small communities?
• While disappointed in United Kingdom’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer meeting with Trump, which did not address Trump’s threats to annex Canada, Elizabeth reminded us that Canada has strong – and growing stronger – alliances throughout the world.
• We should export only to our allies; rules-based, democratically-minded nations.
• We should seek to keep many of our natural resources, selling to other provinces and allies and stockpiling remaining natural resources through strategic reserves, like the one we have for Maple Syrup. Resources will only get more valuable.
• We should sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (https://disarmament.unoda.org/wmd/nuclear/tpnw/).
• We should consider a carbon border adjustment (https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/programs/consultations/2021/border-carbon-adjustments/exploring-border-carbon-adjustments-canada.html) .
• We need to better support our small and medium sized enterprises by enhancing local food security, manufacturing, and tourism.
• We should conclude negotiations for the Columbia River Treaty (https://engage.gov.bc.ca/columbiarivertreaty/).
• We must step up to be a global leader, especially in the world’s most vulnerable places where USAID has withdrawn, many of which are being courted by China.

Elizabeth was asked for her thoughts about a global crowdfunding (https://www.crowdfunding.com/) initiative for the Ukraine. While an interesting idea with merit, we were reminded that there are already established and trusted charitable organizations collecting money for the Ukraine, (like the Canadian Red Cross: https://give.redcross.ca/page/UHCA?_gl=1*joinyr*_gcl_au*MTc4NDM1MjY1Mi4xNzQwODYxOTQw*_ga*MTM4OTAxNDI1My4xNzQwODYxOTQw*_ga_376D8LHM0R*MTc0MDg2MTk0MC4xLjAuMTc0MDg2MTk0MC4wLjAuODU0MzM3MDAz*_fplc*JTJCWEtCRTJqJTJCMTgxSnljVHZieWxoRDZuYjJ5WkJSSkhyNm5wektEOUhJU01OMHNVbUJ2bGg1MTRKUUdQcHVZcTh5a0xrJTJCZE1nTmZIZzBUVW81MFVyYkhlMDlEdFBNSSUyRlYyRG00bWRoN21xUWxiWHhhamNmVTdzMWwzNjV0JTJGQSUzRCUzRA).

As our time together was drawing to a close,a participant asked Elizabeth how we couldinstill a patriotic pride of Canada in our youth. This participant recalled her youth in the 1970s and the empowerment of the Kitimavik (https://katimavik.org/en/). She suggested that every youth should get a free trans-Canada rail pass so that they could see and better understand our magnificent country.

This participant asked what is happening with the development of a Youth Climate Corps (https://www.climateemergencyunit.ca/climatecorps). Elizabeth agreed that it should be developed. As we concluded our lively discussion, Elizabeth’s new Constancy Coordinator, Aysha, our most youthful participant, spoke with great enthusiasm of the promise of a Youth Climate Corps, offering our youth the opportunity to deeply understand what it means to be a Canadian, build community ties across partisan lines, and defend our ecosystems.

As our time together was over, Elizabeth was lovingly applauded for sharing her wisdom and concerns with us; visioning the changes that must be made; and working for a stronger, more self-sufficient Canada. Asked to come back again as soon as possible, she said “YES,” and we now plan her return to ASK Salt Spring Friday, July 25, 11-1, SIMS classroom. (A heartfelt thank-you to Elizabeth and Aysha!)

And, Elizabeth generously thanked ASK Salt Spring withanother round of applause, surprising us by saying that there is no other weekly grassroots democratic forum quite like it anywhere else in Canada. Surely that is not true. . .but it felt great!

Want to learn more? Elizabeth was interviewed by CHiR.fm‘s Damian Inwood after our ASK Salt Spring gathering. Listen to this interview as well as many more at ASK Salt Spring Answered (https://open.spotify.com/show/14aIItcouBw3unc5ZtgPDL).

Just in case you are interested. . . .This report has been written by Gayle Baker, founder of ASK Salt Spring, currently also a Salt Spring Local Community Commissioner, and has been reviewed and edited by Elizabeth and Aysha.