Good Sunday Morning and Welcome to June!
To say I just had one helluva week would be an understatement- Parliament re-opening, speaker election, King Charles and Speech from the Throne, first question in QP and on and on.
I thought I should start with why I am now triply glad I did not try to run to be the Speaker of the House. I could never have won. It is the one parliamentary vote that is by secret ballot. The voting used to be in multiple rounds where after each vote, the lowest ranked candidate was announced and automatically dropped from the ballot. At that point in the rounds, each remaining candidate was asked if they wanted to remain. This led to fairer voting and a chance to shift votes as it became clear where the votes were moving. That system was replaced with a single ballot where choices are ranked. That is how the Conservatives were able to manipulate the vote. They did it in 2019 to defeat a Speaker they hated, Geoff Reagan, and elect a different Liberal, Anthony Rota.
This time, once again, Conservative leadership stacked the vote. This aspect was not covered in the media. Here is what happened: If you were following closely you might have noticed that two of the candidates for Speaker withdrew just moments before the candidates’ speeches. As I wrote last week, all of the candidates were good people who could have been good Speakers. The two who withdrew were Chris D’Entremont and John Nater. Chris had been our Deputy Speaker (a very decent former N.S. minister of environment, one of the last Progressive Conservatives in Poilievre’s caucus) and John Nater, also a great guy (one year the only valentine I got was a heart shaped cookie baked by John’s little girls! clearly this was in LBJ – Life Before John!)) Nater is an academic nerd who was a PhD candidate with a thesis focusing on one of the more arcane aspects of our parliament – “The Thursday Question.” Both Chris and John are Conservatives; the only Conservative candidates for Speaker. There is no doubt in my mind Chris and John were instructed by their leadership to withdraw. That left six Liberals running for Speaker, Liberal MPs would be voting all over the place. And then all the Conservatives were told to vote for the same candidate – the one person they disliked the least. The new Speaker is an old friend and a very good person, Francis Scarpalleggia. Francis is a Montreal area MP and former chair of the Environment Committee, as well as chairing our Electoral Reform Special Committee. But the Conservatives clearly wanted to make sure Greg Fergus did not win. They really would not have wanted me in the chair either! So, all things being equal, which they rarely are, I am very relieved I did not make a huge effort to become Speaker only to have the election spiked.
Another reason I am confirmed in my decision to remain a Green party MP – unmuzzled from the neutrality a Speaker must observe – is that this week the need for a strong climate voice in the House became very clear. The Speech from the Throne was far less focused on climate than I had expected. In fact, climate was barely mentioned at all.
I held a scrum on May 29th (link below to CPAC) allowing me to take some time on Speech from the Throne details. I read aloud from Mark Carney’s book and his clear description of the rapidly closing window for climate action. I pointed out that the only climate action from Carney so far has been to cancel the one climate measure that has made any impact in reducing emissions.
On Friday I got my one question for the week in Question Period. Restricted to 30 seconds I made the same point. Here you will see the new Minister of Environment and Climate Change totally avoid my simple question: “When will we see a climate plan?”
As is my custom, I gave her the question ahead of time, making her total evasion more concerning.
Despite the lack of any climate details in the Speech from the Throne (SFT), I was very glad to be there. Our parliamentary traditions require that any MPs who make it into the Senate chamber are squashed in the very back, behind the brass railing at the rear. I managed to gently work my way forward to a small spot up against the curtain and the rail . From there I could see the King and Queen, as well as taking in some of the dignitaries seated on the floor of the Senate. In the row in front of me – Jason Kenney, Pierre Poilievre and his wife Anaida. No longer an MP, PP got a seat in the Senate! I prefer standing in back and having a seat in the House!
Once the speech was over I joined other MPs as we headed back to the House of Commons, across the street and up the hill. By sheer luck I joined a few friends who knew the King and Queen were about to pass by. I had thought I would have no chance of meeting the King. I had had a wonderful visit with him in 1991, holding my then baby girl, and thanking him for helping us stop the logging on Haida Gwaii. This time was far briefer. I only realized later that in shaking his hand, all I had managed to say was that I pray for him every day. I forgot to introduce myself or mention I was leader of the Green Party of Canada! Our brief encounter was recorded by many TV cameras.
God save the King! I do worry he has risked his health while in cancer treatment to make such a quick and intense trip to Canada. It did buoy our national spirits. I shook Mark Carney’s hand as well and said it was a rare thing to meet the ghost-writer for the King! One reason I had hoped for more on climate is that I thought Charles III’s well-known climate commitment would be a good cover for a new PM in speaking with urgency about climate. He did not. And just days later, two Prairie provinces have declared states of emergency as people scramble for their lives and wildfires spread.
Next week, June 5th, is World Environment Day and David Suzuki will be in Ottawa. My team, the incomparable Debra Eindiguer, my chief of staff, has organized a big event where David Suzuki will speak. We have invited all MPs and Senators, media, as well as Indigenous leaders and local Greens and environmentalists. I do so hope it will direct and challenge this government to real climate action.
Never give up. Never retreat! Never abandon hope! I am determined to give Mark Carney the benefit of the doubt. As media reports details on Carney’s commitments to fast-track “nation-building projects” as promised in the SFT, many environmental groups are increasingly worried: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-carney-to-brief-premiers-on-plan-to-fast-track-major-nation-building/ (for GM subscribers).
I admit I am worried, but until we see the legislation and can be fully informed, I am struggling to keep an open, and hopeful, mind!
Until next Sunday when we will know more, love and thanks for all your support.
By the way, if you like Good Sunday Morning, please do share it.. and let friends know they can subscribe, as you do, for free! If you are not yet a Green Party member, please join! and sign up as a monthly donor. greenparty.ca.
Those little commitments really do add up as tangible encouragement!
love,
Elizabeth
PS: The BC Special Committee on Democratic and Electoral Reform Presentation deadline has been extended:
The Committee will be holding several public meetings in July. British Columbians who can indicate their interest in speaking with the Committee by Monday, June 2 at 2:00 p.m. (Pacific) by completing a request form on the Parliamentary Committees Consultation Portal. Opportunities to provide written input will be available in mid-June.
Please send your feedback on this newsletter to [email protected].
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