Good Sunday Morning!
And Happy December – First day of Advent. For those who observe Christmas as a religious event, the season of Advent is one of contemplation in anticipation of Christ’s birth. I was quite surprised as an adult to discover that it was supposed to be more like Lent, denying oneself in anticipation of the joyous event. What I had only known was an early start on big parties, major treats and no denial in evidence, just as today our society is absorbed in the commercialism of crazed buying and conspicuous consumption. Cate’s dad Ian once told me he had been in Tokyo years ago and had seen a large storefront window featuring the nativity scene, but in the manger was, not baby Jesus, but Santa Claus! Ah well. I am certainly not railing against people without faith. That covers most of my friends and family! But I do like to experience Advent and Christmas in my own way and hope for a period of quiet.
Quiet is what we yearn for in the war-torn areas of our world, so let’s celebrate the first of what we hope and pray will be many more ceasefires. Working with the government of France, departing US president Joe Biden brokered the deal, which took effect November 27. Iran-backed Hezbollah and Israel have agreed to a ceasefire, giving hope to the people of Lebanon. But the truce is fragile.
And the war rages on in Gaza, as the death toll of innocent Palestinians climbs to the tens and tens of thousands. War still continues with the Russian invasion of Ukraine, horrors in Sudan and Somalia. Just yesterday came a small ray of hope with news of attempts by Kenya and Uganda to get to a peace deal in Somalia.
We also got a bit of a truce in Parliament this week. Through late sittings – til midnight Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, we cleared the way to consider Chrystia Freeland’s tax-break bill C-78 for a two-month GST holiday on some goods and treats but not others. I really struggled with my vote, calling it a “transparent vote-buying scheme.” Still, it will be a boost for some people and will help some, but not all, small businesses. I used my speaking opportunity at around 10:30 pm on Thursday night to call for climate action and to link the dots between the climate crisis and grocery prices.
I keep trying to underscore that the affordability crisis is not a competing issue with climate for government attention; they are connected.
The price of groceries goes up when harvests fail due to droughts and floods. The climate crisis increases the cost of living as it also drives up provincial debt and deficits, due to the costs of fire-fighting and of rebuilding the devastated infrastructure of community after community and province after province.
The World Meteorological Organization recently concluded that 2024 was the hottest year on record, globally.
We hear a steady drum beat about “affordability” but the threat to the survival of human civilization – a real risk of the galloping climate crisis – is met with silence.
The clock is ticking, but politicians are not leaders. We look at polls and rush to distract the citizenry with shiny trinkets.
In the end the GST cut sailed through with the Liberals, NDP and Greens voting yes, with Bloc and Conservatives voting no. I will keep pushing for taxing Big Oil, Big Banks and others to allow real change – not small change.
A high point for me this week was a very substantive exchange about the on-line harms bill, C63. In the small world department, I have been working with many from shadow cabinet on this bill with expert advice from Faculty of Information, University of Toronto professor, Andrew Clement. Assuming he was from Toronto, I ran into him at a law conference on C-63, and only then discovered he is a constituent! Here is my pursuit of the matter in Question Period on Thursday.
In reply, Justice Minister Arif Virani said I was “the conscience of Parliament.”Which is about as nice as it gets in the toxic stew that is my workplace!
Finally home in BC for a weekend and on an early ferry today to get to Vancouver to see my baby granddaughter. I am so very lucky!
Love to all and find ways to celebrate our small wins for peace – may they grow to a fairer and safe planet for all.
Elizabeth
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