And Good Sunday Morning!
I love this Sunday – Palm Sunday. I hear from many readers that my religious references are barely tolerated, NOT their cup of tea. Still, please let me share why it is a jubilant historic event. The local people rushing forward with cloaks and palms to cover the dusty path to Jerusalem, were not acting with religious fervour. This was a political demonstration against the occupying force. Every palm frond was a protest sign. The crowd was massing against an occupying force. The story’s arc is a cautionary tale. The crowds that praised the non-violent rebel leader on Sunday had turned against him by Friday — an angry mob calling for the release of a common criminal and death to Jesus. I always suspect an organizing hand, like a rent a crowd used today by dictators to bus in their supporters. 2,000 years ago, they overcame the village square intimidated those too frightened to shout in support. Well, that is a longer story, but the nature of that celebration and of the cries of Hosanna at Palm Sunday service never fail to lift my spirits.
My 2018 trip to Jerusalem was part of my work as co-chair of the Canada-Palestinian Parliamentary Friendship Group. I paid my own way, but the Palestinian Authority organized the trip and helped enormously. The Canadian permanent mission in Ramallah was also hugely helpful. We were 18 MPs from every party in parliament. We toured the West Bank – Bethlehem, Hebron, Ramallah, Jerusalem and many refugee camps along the way. Even then, eight years ago, the Canadian government thought Gaza was too dangerous and did not allow us to go there. The situation for Palestinians was unbearable then. I worry that the international agreement that respects Jerusalem’s special status as shared among the three theistic religions with sacred ties there- Judaism, Islam and Christianity, but even in 2018 it was clear Israeli so-called “settlers” (whom I observed to be well armed and menacing thugs) were determined to kick other religions out of Jerusalem, and do violence to the Palestinians. It is so much worse now.
This week I participated in a press conference with the Canadians preparing the next flotilla to try to deliver aid to Gaza. We must not lose sight of the threat to Palestinian civilians as the weak cease fire frays and humanitarian supplies continue to be blocked.
I attend church this morning far from home, in Hamilton, Ontario. I am here for the JUNOs! Political work is weird and, to stay relevant in the media frame, I try to attend major national events where other party leaders are likely to be! I am very excited to see (and maybe meet) Joni Mitchell, receiving a lifetime achievement award. “Big Yellow Taxi” has been the anthem of the environmental movement! It came out in 1970, the year I always mark as the beginning of my firm commitment to environmental work. I was in Grade 10 and organized for that first Earth Day, April 22, 1970 in my high school.
By the way, our local Green association (The Green SGI EDA that puts out this letter- an all volunteer effort every week!) has organized handing out reusable, organic cloth bags to give out at local grocery stores with reminders to Reduce, Re-use Recycle, and REJECT. Reject plastic and excess packaging! Buy local. It will be a fun activity next month on Saturday April 25th.
Yesterday in Toronto I attended a great rally at Queens Park denouncing multiple anti-democratic and anti-environmental actions by the Doug Ford Ontario government. Organized to align with US demonstrations against Trump – No Kings – there were demonstrations across Ontario, and a few elsewhere in Canada. The anti-Ford rally focused quite a lot on a recent outrage. In a huge affront to the City of Toronto municipal government, Ford proclaimed that he can take over the Toronto Island airport, expand it to long runways to allow jets to land in the downtown. The federal government has the power to stop this mad scheme. Ford says Carney is on board. So far no federal Liberal MP has contradicted that claim. It may give an unexpected boost to the Green candidates in the upcoming by-elections in Scarborough Southwest (Pooja Malhotra) and University Rosedale (Andrew Massey).
This week in Parliament I was glad I had the chance to speak and explain why I was voting against the so-called “anti-hate” bill, C-9. I fear it will lead to police over-reach in shutting down non-violent protests and citizen assembly. But it, of course, sailed through. Explaining why I hate the “anti-hate” bill, here is my C-9 Speech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqbkzi1Qsjo
I also was lucky to secure a 60-second speaking opportunity on March 24 – David Suzuki’s 90th birthday to mark the occasion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KM5MYXJe4Nc
And here is my attempt to slow down the bulldozed cyber security bill – C-8… as ever, moments after I spoke it was pushed through “on division” without a vote. Speech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMVqdmnd5ao
As all of you know, with all the challenges in Canada, the turmoil globally, the reckless and dangerous actions of Trump and Netanyahu continue to shock the conscience of the world. Canada can and must do more. This week the prime minister announced more support for military spending and even suggested we might be involved in opening up the Strait of Hormuz. Please let our government know how we feel about our obligation to do more work for peace, relying on diplomacy and international law. We have to try!
With love and thanks,
Elizabeth