Good Sunday Morning! Issue #281

Good Sunday Morning!

And a huge thank you to everyone who came out to one of the nine community meetings throughout Saanich-Gulf Islands between Labour Day and Friday night when we wrapped up on Pender Island. Sometimes the rush gets to be a blur. Every year I have conversations with people I seem to meet just once a year – the Saanich Fair over Labour Day, Salt Spring Island the following week, Mayne and Pender Islands in August and at the wonderful Salt Spring Pride parade yesterday! I am so lucky to represent so many thoughtful and dedicated people. As I head to Ottawa today for the opening of Parliament tomorrow, I am buoyed up by the support from home and by knowing as I fight for climate action and protecting our whales and salmon and old growth forests, pressing for action to end conflict in Gaza, I do so with the support of the constituents who send me there. First thing tomorrow I will hold a press conference to set out the Green Party fall priorities for the fall session of parliament.

In case you missed it, on Thursday, the Toronto Star (under the Federal Politics heading) carried this devastating report:

Mark Carney won’t endorse greenhouse gas targets, says he’s focused on ‘results, not objectives’.

The prime minister advocated for a “grand bargain” that could see regulations changed to facilitate a new export pipeline from Alberta’s oilsands — if a major project to reduce emissions gets built. 

Let’s hope some functionary jumps up soon to say the PM “misspoke” or was misreported.

I dashed off a quick memo which the Green Party sent to media:

Memo to Prime Minister Mark Carney from Green Party of Canada Leader Elizabeth May

Consult international lawyers if you are in doubt, the Paris Agreement targets are legally binding. The Government of Canada has made a commitment, and it is not a political commitment. Canada was the first industrialized country to sign and ratify the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in 1992. The Paris Agreement, negotiated in 2015, was confirmed by Canada and is legally binding within that UN treaty.

Under international law targets can be changed at any time, but only to ratchet up and increase ambition. Mr. Carney, your words are dangerous and irresponsible, especially coming from someone who has a strong global reputation of concern about the climate crisis. Your statement today is completely at odds with the rapidly closing window to meet the dictates of global scientific consensus that human civilization could be at risk if we fail to hold global average temperature as far below a 2 degrees C rise as possible (compared to global average temperature prior to the Industrial Revolution). The atmosphere is not interested in negotiating with humanity. There is no “grand bargain” we can make. We can only act as responsible leaders, live up to our commitments and move Canada from climate laggard to climate leader.

Wish me luck!

Meanwhile, I want to share some excellent news! The Green Party has confirmed our first nominated candidate for whenever the next general election comes. Mike Morrice, once and future Green MP for Kitchener Centre is our candidate!!

Please help his campaign by signing up for his monthly donor group – the Evergreen Circle.

This group has made the difference to convince Mike he has the support to keep going – knocking on every door again and again! Mike wanted me to share:

Evergreen Circle members – monthly donors – are powering our grassroots organizing over the months to come. This is the most helpful thing anyone in the country can do right now to support re-electing a Green in Kitchener Centre! With just 300 people contributing the amount that maximizes their tax credit ($33/month = $400/year) we would have the support we need to keep building momentum until whenever the next election is called.

As a national party we want to get going as soon as possible, nominating great candidates so they can be going door to door soon. Having time at the doorstep – not just to say “vote for me” but more importantly to listen to local concerns is critical. The snap election last spring did not give candidates enough time. With so many candidates who were vetted and approved by local Greens for the April 28 election, ready and willing to run again, I certainly hope candidates will step up, following Mike’s great lead!  We start campaigning to elect more Green MPs now! Which reminds me, I had better get my paperwork done to run again as the Green candidate in Saanich-Gulf Islands. I will be stepping down as leader as soon as the next leader, or co-leaders – are elected – but I will NOT be stepping down as a Green MP.

We also have elections for the Federal Green Party council. Every year about half the council’s terms are up and we have critical elections for our governing body. Watch for news of that if you are a GPC member. And of course the voting on the leadership review starts tomorrow as well. PLEASE remember to vote and vote YES! This vote gives me and the Federal Council the time to be stable and debt free as the next leadership race unfolds. Thanks again for all your support!!

In other hopeful news, as I work on my next book making the case that it is NOT too late to secure a livable planet, I was encouraged to see some of what I have not yet published included in this thoughtful piece by Kate Marvel in The Guardian.

Kate Marvel: “Some days it can feel as if climate catastrophe is inevitable. But history is full of cases – such as the banning of whaling and CFCs – that show humanity can come together to avert disaster.”

It is one of the most remarkable things about my life that I can look back on so many campaigns we have won. I have been so very fortunate to have been able to be part of stopping the destruction of the ancient temperate rainforests of Gwaii Haanas, stopping the spraying of Agent Orange in Nova Scotia, and to working in government as we negotiated the Montreal Protocol, to protect the ozone layer. Even from a small Green caucus, I have been able to pass into law three private members bills! It is these, and many other successful grassroots campaigns, that inspire me to know that we can avert disaster.

Next week, I hope I can report on some good news of progress in the House of Commons.

Much love,
Elizabeth