Week in Review
September 29, 2017
Welcome to Elizabeth May’s parliamentary week in review! This weekly e-newsletter recaps her work in Parliament when the House is in session. Using the links below, you can watch videos of Elizabeth’s interventions in the House, keep up with her media releases, and read articles she has written.
This week in the House, Elizabeth’s interventions ranged from the Rohingya refugee crisis to the importance of education for women and girls globally to the establishment of Marine Protected Areas.
This newsletter covers Elizabeth’s work in the House from September 25, 2017 to September 29, 2017.
* If you are having trouble viewing this email, please view online at: https://elizabethmaymp.ca/category/news/week-in-review/
Key Moments in the House
Emergency Debate: the Situation in Myanmar
On Tuesday, Mr. Garnett Genuis, Member for Sherwood Park-Fort Saskatchewan, brought the situation in Myanmar to the floor for an emergency debate in the House that lasted until midnight. In a break from the usual partisanship, Members from across party lines united in their condemnation of the genocide perpetrated against the Rohingya people. They exhorted Canada to reassert itself as a world leader in peacekeeping and humanitarian work.
Elizabeth made several interventions in the House, largely related to concrete actions the Government could take in response to this crisis. For resources and links to aid and advocacy organizations, click here.
Tribute
On Thursday, Judy Foote, the Member for Bonavista-Burin-Trinity, stepped down after 21 years of service in the House in order to spend time with her family in Newfoundland. Members praised her extraordinary courage and inexhaustible kindness. Click on the image below to see Elizabeth’s tribute.
Question Period
– Can we phase in tax changes or grandfather certain professions?
Debate
– Bill C-58 Access to Information and Privacy Act
– Bill C-55 Oceans Act: Can we speed up the creation of Marine Protected Areas?
Adjournment Proceedings
– Will Canada step up and deliver on the promises we made to Malala Yousafzai?
Current Issues: Proposed Tax Changes for Small Private Corporations
Elizabeth issued her position on the proposed tax changes throughout this week.
On Monday, Elizabeth challenged Minister Morneau during Question Period. Based on comments she received during her Town Halls with constituents earlier this month, she asked about the adverse impact of the proposed changes on healthcare professionals. Susan Delacourt hailed her suggestion that the changes be grandfathered in for certain professions as a viable solution to some of the thorniest issues in the current proposal. For video and transcript, click here.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Elizabeth argues these tax reforms unfairly target small businesses while ignoring more convincing arguments for increasing the corporate tax rate. By restoring the rate to 2008 levels, or 19.5%, Canada would continue to have one of the lowest rates among the G7 nations (for comparison, the U.S. corporate tax rate is 34-37%). Moreover, the marginal increase would allow the Liberals to follow through on a campaign promise to decrease the small business tax to 9%.
Writing for the Ottawa Citizen, Elizabeth advocated for a comprehensive study and holistic approach to tax reform. This approach would recognize that:
1) federal tax rates are too low to support badly needed public services, such as habitat protection, local veterans offices, and potable water on First Nations reserves;
2) tax fairness is best advanced by curtailing corporate tax breaks and loopholes rather than targeting small businesses.
It is not too late to submit your own comments to the consultation. E-mail [email protected] by October 2nd. You can read Elizabeth’s submission here.
In the Media
“Simplify the tax system and target the right people”
(Elizabeth May, Ottawa Citizen, Sept. 28)
“House committee reviewing MP sexual harassment policy; it’s a ‘completely black box,’ says Elizabeth May “(Samantha Wright Allen, The Hill Times, Sept. 27)
“Morneau boxed himself in on taxes. May showed him the way out.”
(Susan Delacourt, iPolitics, Sept. 26)
Public Statements
Statement on Yom Kippur (Sept. 29)
Focus on large corporate tax rate, not small business (Sept. 26)
On World Rivers Day, time to step up and protect navigable waters (Sept. 24)
Petitions
Elizabeth introduced the following petitions to the government this week:
- Implement a federal moratorium on hydraulic fracturing (fracking); conduct a complete and comprehensive environmental review; assess the toxicity of materials used in the fracking process
- Follow the recommendations of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and restore tax incentives for purpose-built rental housing.
- Enforce the designation of Saanich Inlet as a district where the discharge of raw sewage is prohibited.
- Act on electoral reform and replace First Past the Post with a system where the popular vote is reflected in the seat count.
- Implement a national waste reduction strategy in collaboration with the provinces.
- Ban the possession, trade, distribution, and sale of shark fins to protect this endangered species.
Read the governments’ responses to petitions Elizabeth has introduced here.
Community Newsletter
September 2017 Newsletter – Repair our Environmental, Privacy and Security Laws
Have Your Say
Engage in government consultations for key legislative items:
Tax Planning Using Private Corporations
Deadline: October 2nd
Deadline: October 25th
Committee Briefs & Responses
Response Submitted to the Consultations on Tax Planning Using Private Corporations
Response Submitted to the “Environment and Regulatory Reviews: Discussion Paper”
Brief Submitted to the Expert Panel Reviewing Environmental Assessment Law
Brief Submitted to the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development on the Canadian Environmental Protection Act
Private Members’ Bills
Elizabeth May has introduced the following bills:
Bill C-269: This bill will abolish mandatory minimum sentences for all crimes except murder and treason.
Bill C-258: This “Think Small First” bill would require that every new bill introduced in the House undergo an assessment to determine how the bill would impact Canadian small businesses.
Bill C-259: The Open Science Act would require all federal departments to make all publicly funded scientific research available to Canadians on their websites.
For a list of private members’ bills Elizabeth May has seconded, please visit elizabethmaymp.ca.
Recent Events
Sunday, September 24th
- Walk for Reconciliation in Vancouver on the unceded territory of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations
Monday, September 25th
Wednesday, September 27th
Upcoming Events
Saturday, September 30th
Sunday, October 1st
Tuesday, October 3rd
Thursday, October 5th
Tuesday, October 10th
Wednesday, October 11th
Friday, October 13th
- Join Elizabeth at the University of Northern British Columbia’s Inspiring Women Among Us celebrations
- Join Elizabeth as she presents “What it’s like to be a lone Green woman in Canadian federal politics”
Wednesday, October 25th to Sunday, October 29th
- Join Elizabeth for the Canada C3 Expedition on Saturna Island, Salt Spring Island, Saanich, and Victoria
As always, the support of the Green Party of Canada has been invaluable in enabling Elizabeth to hold the government to account on such a large number of issues. For more information on their work, or to get involved, please visit: https://www.greenparty.ca/