But it was a very hard week for Canada. Many things to share with you on this Sunday.

Before diving into the bad news, let’s take a moment to celebrate that the BC government finally agreed to defer logging in Fairy Creek old growth! I am linking here to the excellent and cautious statement from the BC Greens. https://www.bcgreens.ca/b_c_greens_respond_to_old_growth_logging_deferrals_in_fairy_creek_and_central_walbran

But most of the week’s news was very painful. First, last Sunday, was the devastating and brutal murder of nearly an entire family in London, Ontario. I know London well. Thanks to the strength of Green support in London North Centre in the 2006 by-election, to that date, the Green Party got its best result by far. I came in second with 26% of the vote. In the course of that by-election, I got to know amazing members of the city’s Muslim community. I would never have believed such an act of hate and violence would be possible in that community. It hit hard.

Three generations of one family were deliberately run down.

Salman Afzaal, 46, his wife Madiha, 44, their 15-year-old daughter Yumna, and the children’s 74-year-old grandmother were killed. Only little Fayez, 9 years old, survived the attack and remains in hospital. Parliament opened Monday with a statement from the Prime Minister, followed by leaders of all the parties, and me as parliamentary leader for Greens.

“Our hearts are broken. Our minds are numb.”

On Tuesday, the leaders gathered in London for a vigil. Annamie Paul spoke on behalf of Greens. “At the end of the day, what we can do to remember those who have been lost, is to say that hate will not win.”  https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2021/06/08/vigil-underway-at-london-mosque-to-honour-muslim-family-killed-in-what-police-say-was-hate-motivated-attack.html

On Monday, June 7th another heartbreaker for me was the release of the decision in the killing of Chantel Moore. Chantel was killed June 4^th 2020 by an officer from the Edmundston NB police. Lacking a police oversight body in New Brunswick, the investigation into the killing was undertaken by the Bureau des enquetes independante du Quebec (BEIQ). I had hoped, as had her family, that the long delay between the conclusion of the investigation by the Quebec police watchdog (December 2020) and its release by the New Brunswick prosecutor, was an indication that charges would be laid. Instead, the New Brunswick government concluded that the officer would not be charged, because there was no prospect of a conviction. The facts do not support this. I spent some time reading the report. It took a long time because it was so hard to read. But it came down to this: There is no evidence of the immediate events before and during the time Officer Jeremy Son killed Chantel Moore. There is no video evidence. No audio evidence. It is his word only.

He claims he feared for his life as a petite 26-year old came at him with a knife. But no knife was found in her hand- nor near her body. A small steak knife was found under a flattened carboard box- but it had no fingerprints. He shot her four times at close range. The whole thing is deeply distressing. It screams out injustice.

Recently, a Quebec Court found that the BEIQ had, in another case, taken mistakenly, due to bias, covered for the police word in a killing.  This agency has a history: https://montreal.citynews.ca/2021/06/09/family-awarded-30000-court-rules-quebec-police-watchdog-statement-wasnt-impartial/

I made it the subject of my last question in Question Period on Friday – my last question until the House resumes in September. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fClbONSjRpw

And then we come to the long nasty slog of the Net Zero Climate Accountability Act, C-12. We finally finished the clause by clause review. I realized none of my amendments would be considered at all – because of the Liberal NDP pact. https://www.nationalobserver.com/2021/05/28/opinion/climate-emergency-weak-climate-change-act-being-steamrolled-through-parliament

So I decided to withdraw a bunch of my amendments to speed things along, and then the Conservatives did the same. Despite some small tweaks, the bill remains massively deficient. This was the moment for the Liberals to demonstrate the government grasps the climate emergency. They have failed to do so. Here is a brief climate debate just as the clause by clause wrapped up.
Elizabeth May: Canada’s climate targets must be stronger

So it was a hard week without having yet mentioned the worst part. Our little Green caucus has done so much good work together. And we have been – and remain – very close friends. It has been amazing working with Paul Manly and Jenica Atwin. Both hard-workers and excellent MPs.

Jenica’s decision to cross the floor and join the Liberal Party is a huge blow to our party, our candidates gearing up for the next election, and to all our members. Paul Manly and I are heart-broken.

I hope we can find ways to pull together and push on. Canada needs the Greens. We exist to make the difference the planet needs.

You will hear many things about the circumstances. No doubt lots of rumours and theories will be shared. Please let us take some time to reflect and review and see what lessons can be learned. Give us a bit of time.

From the bottom of my heart, I ask you to stay with us while we get ourselves to a place of consensus where we can share next steps.

Much love,

Elizabeth

P.S.

Reminder for tomorrow night- Monday June 14^th at 7 pm BC time. Green Book Club with me and Seth Klein. We will be discussing his wonderful book, The Good War. This is the right link:  https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYsduGpqD0qGNKiG8VpjCYXgIJU-lGifxaq

And PETITIONS!!

e-3433 Cancel the $19 billion competition to purchase the 88 new combat aircraft (closes 18)

e-3353 Create and fund the National Council of Tree Science Research (closes June 21)

e-3330 Establish a National Council of Reconciliation (closes June 28)

e-3164 Implement a national living wage (closes June 29)

e-3496 Call for a National Day of Mourning so that all Canadians take the time to reflect and extend a hand of support, understanding, and love to all those in need; and

1. Work with other levels of government to enact the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action, beginning with a National Day of Mourning with support for communities, to raise awareness, healing, and understanding for all Canadians.

https://petitions.ourcommons.ca/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-3496  (closes July 9)

e-3348 Canada‘s alleged political interference in Haiti (closes July 29)

e-3408 Work with First Nations to immediately halt old-growth logging (closes September 8)

Subscribe to Good Sunday morning at
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The post Good Sunday Morning – June 13 appeared first on Elizabeth May.

Question Period

Following the release of a report into the killing of Indigenous woman Chantel Moore, Elizabeth asked the government why information in the report did not add up to the police officer’s story.

Questions and Statements

The post Green Caucus Week in Review – 06/7 – 11 appeared first on Elizabeth May.

So, deep breath, and apologies for gaps.

Let’s start with today. June 6^th. We have been asked by Kukpi7 Roseanne Casimir, Chief of the Tk’emlups te Secwepemc, to join in prayer at 10 am today. It is Kukpi7 Roseanne’s work that led to hiring an expert in underground radar readings to uncover the preliminary results she released May 27^th. Through my dear friend and former Green Victoria candidate Racelle Kooy (who is now living back in her home territory) that I heard of the call for a National Day of Prayer. https://www.castanetkamloops.net/news/Kamloops/336047/Mourners-encouraged-to-take-part-in-day-of-prayer-on-Sunday-following-discovery-of-Tk-emlups-remains

The most powerful statement yet has been my MLA’s words in the BC Legislature. Adam Olsen’s speech drew widespread attention, including in this insightful column from Rob Shaw that noted how hard the NDP tried to defeat Adam last fall. https://theorca.ca/resident-pod/when-the-unimaginable-is-all-too-imaginable/ In the federal Parliament we held a late night debate in which all I tried to do was read as much of Adam’s speech into the record as I could. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-vBW9pUQEQ

The pain and loss (especially for Indigenous peoples, but also for settler culture allies) is real and deep. Indigenous friends have suggested that we pause. That we stop and postpone the political debate, inevitable finger pointing, and instead just  listen and mourn together for those dear children, their souls, their families and for the many more not yet accounted for. We are heading down a long road. And we cannot let this be a “news story” where we turn the page and fail to take on the work that we are required to do. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission set out a path. It will not an easy one. Let us pray. Whether we believe in God or not, let us mourn.

On Friday, I marked the anniversary of the killing of 26-year old, Nuu-Chah-Nulth woman Chantel Moore with a statement in parliament. On June 4, 2020, Chantel was killed by a police officer in Edmundston, NB.  As I made the statement, our extraordinary Green MP Jenica Atwin joined Chantel’s mother, Martha Martin, at a ceremony in Fredericton to mourn her death and demand justice. In solidarity, national Green leader Annamie Paul issued a strong statement with specific recommendations to end the threat of death by “wellness check.”

https://www.nationalobserver.com/2021/06/04/news/cries-for%20action-one-year-after-chantel-moore-killed-police (This link is behind a pop-up paywall.)

Although the Quebec policy inquiry review was submitted on her death in December, the family still has no answers as to why a tall, muscular cop felt so threatened by a small Indigenous woman that he shot her at least five times. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/chantel-moore-indigenous-police-shooting-1.6052529

Say her name and keep demanding #justiceforChantel.

For the rest of this little Sunday letter, the good news first.

The TMX (formerly Kinder Morgan) pipeline suffered a serious blow with the news that its insurer will not renew the policy. Lloyds of London was the first global insurer to decide to reject fossil fuel infrastructure from their policies.  The Canadian Energy Regulator – CER (which used to be called the NEB) attempted to assist the Crown corporation now building TRMX with our money by agreeing to an outrageous request from TMX to keep the name of its insurers confidential. So we only found out Argo Insurance was an insurer when it announced this week it would not renew the TMX policy.  David Snowden, senior VP of group communications at Argo Group US, wrote “This type of project is not currently within Argo’s risk appetite.”

Charlene Aleck of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation Sacred Trust Initiative urged more insurance companies to refuse to insure this risky project: “In addition to fuelling the climate crisis, this pipeline represents an ongoing violation of Indigenous rights. The lack of free, prior and informed consent is a material risk that most insurers have not fully captured, and that needs to change. We are calling on the rest of the Lloyd’s syndicates, as well as AIG, Chubb, and Liberty Mutual, to follow Argo’s path.”

https://calgary.ctvnews.ca/insurance-provider-for-trans-mountain-pipeline-says-it-won-t-renew-policy-1.5454981

Looking for more good news is hard.

I am so grateful to my dear friend and colleague Paul Manly (Green MP for Nanaimo-Ladysmith) and his chief of staff Ilan Goldenblatt. They are at Fairy Creek this weekend to let the land protectors know we strongly support them.  I am still trying to sort my own logistics to join them.  Meanwhile, once again, I need to give a huge shout out to Adam Olsen for his work in exposing the cynical, colonial, patronizing approach of the Horgan government toward the Pacheedaht First Nation. Under what was supposed to be a commitment to respect Indigenous sovereignty, the government has engineered a despicable agreement that Adam outlines here: https://www.cheknews.ca/opinion-forest-agreement-betrays-premiers-commitments-on-indigenous-reconciliation-812114/

Please read the details, but Adam’s bottom line conclusion says it all: “The BC NDP is effectively using BC Liberal policy to put Indigenous Nations in the centre of conflicts and use the language of reconciliation to cover for their inaction.”

Meanwhile, back in Ottawa, the C-12 clause by clause process will likely wrap up tomorrow with no Green amendments passed. The deal between the Liberals and NDP for modest improvements are indeed improvements. The main item is the insertion of a 2026 “interim greenhouse gas emissions objective.”  But the first milestone year remains 2030, the advisory committee is multistakeholder and not expert or independent (despite a sleight of hand amendment to say the non-independent body will provide “independent advice,”) with no carbon budgets and no legally enforceable method to hold any minister to account. Meanwhile, the government is still subsidizing fossil fuels and committed to TMX.  Here is my question to Minister Wilkinson asking him to explain why my amendment to base government action on science was rejected:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVciiBgRLc8

I am heartened by growing support from 350.org and Leadnow to oppose the ReconAfrica proposed oil and gas project in Namibia, near the UNSECO World Heritage Site at the Okavango Delta.  Thanks to nearly 900 people who signed the petition I presented this week (and especially to local activists Vicky Husband, Doug Funk and Shelagh Levy):  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=td1ecRdMcYk

Speaking of Shelagh, I am really excited for our next SGI-Green book club event featuring Seth Klein and his wonderful book “The Good War.” Seth and I will explore how we get societies to move on climate as though our lives depended on it, which they do. Join us on Tuesday, June 14^th, 7 pm BC time.  Please register in advance for this event here.

And for a really exciting book event involving my daughter Cate, dear friends Sylvia Olsen (“Growing up Elizabeth May”), Lynne Quarmby (her new book “Watermelon Snow: Science, Art and a Lone Polar Bear”) and Anu Rao (whom some of you will know thru Seachange, with her book “One Earth: People of Colour Protecting our Planet”) plus an activist I do not know, but am excited to hear, Nafeesa Alibhai, check out “Story Telling for Change” – coming up next Saturday morning June 12th: https://www.banyen.com/events/Storytelling-for-Change

This week marks the start of midnight sittings in parliament to try to push through as much legislation as possible before we break June 23^rd for summer recess. Please help me by signing petitions listed below and join in the events I have included here.  One great event I should have promoted more was the Twenty Year Anniversary of Fair Vote Canada!  I have not had so much fun for ages. We had over 400 attendees for Judy Rebick, Andrew Coyne, Hugh Segal and me.  Watch it here video and recommit to fighting against FPTP every chance we get!

Keep Calm and Carry on!!

Much love,

Elizabeth

PS another cheer for Paul Manly! Paul made a statement calling attention to Motion M-90 for a national ban on gas fracking, which he put forward on Wednesday.

Petitions

e-3159 Ban new strip mines in the Rocky Mountains (closes June 5)

e-3383 Clarify the safe operation of the DND Rifle Range (closes June 6)

e-3433 Cancel the $19 billion competition to purchase the 88 new combat aircraft (closes June 18)

e-3353 Create and fund the National Council of Tree Science Research (closes June 21)

e-3330 Establish a National Council of Reconciliation (closes June 28)

e-3164 Implement a national living wage (closes June 29)

e-3348 Canada‘s alleged political interference in Haiti (closes July 29)

e-3408 Work with First Nations to immediately halt old-growth logging (closes September 8)

Saanich-Gulf Islands Greens
http://www.sgigreenparty.ca/

The post Good Sunday Morning – June 6 appeared first on Elizabeth May.

Elizabeth May (Saanich—Gulf Islands)
2021-06-03 20:16 [p.7954]

Madam Speaker, it is an honour to rise virtually tonight in adjournment proceedings to address a question I initially asked on April 15 of this year.
People who have been paying close attention to the climate agenda and our rapidly shrinking opportunity to make the difference that we need to make, as time passes and our emissions are still rising, will recall the April 22 climate summit hosted by President Joe Biden, held virtually with leaders from 40 countries.

On April 15, first I noted that our emissions kept rising right up until COVID, with recently announced reports to that effect. My second point was that a report from a news outlet called The Breach said a special cabinet committee had formed during COVID with representation of senior levels of government from natural resources, finance, environment and elsewhere that was actually focused on helping the oil and gas sector. My third point was that our subsidies continued to go up.

The minister’s response was that we would see a new target soon. I return to the fundamental question on the not-so-new target now. Since 2015, the Liberal government has proclaimed that Canada is back and clearly understands that the climate issue is real. Has it actually grasped the science? This is my core question.

I will say again that as well-intentioned as the government might be, it does not seem to understand that we must hold to no more than a 1.5°C global average temperature increase above the global average temperature at the time of the Industrial Revolution. Blowing past this target by failing to put in place rigorous targets now will lead us to a place where we do not get a do-over. We cannot fix it later.

From the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and its special report on 1.5°C, which came out in October 2018, we know that if the world community does not move mountains in this coming decade, it will be too late.

In his book Values, Mark Carney said that understanding carbon budgets is very important. On page 273, he said:
If we had started in the year 2000, we could have hit 1.5°C by halving emissions every 30 years. Now, we must cut our emissions in half every 10 years. If we wait another four years, we will have to halve our emissions every single year. If we wait another eight years, our 1.5°C carbon budget will be exhausted.

The Prime Minister attended the Biden summit. He announced a new target and proclaimed that it was ambitious. It is not. It does not meet the demands of science, and neither does Bill C-12, which we are currently debating in the environment committee. They have good intentions, great press coverage and good public relations, but they fail to do what is necessary.

Years ago, I marched with my daughter in the streets of New York in the lead-up to the COP before the Paris agreement. I saw a sign as we marched that said, “It’s time to stop debating what is possible and start doing what is necessary”.

We have to cancel the TMX pipeline. We cannot afford $17 billion on a pipeline that blows our carbon budget. The choices are stark. The government is failing.

The post The government is failing to address the climate crisis appeared first on Elizabeth May.

Elizabeth May (Saanich—Gulf Islands)
2021-06-01 15:09

Mr. Speaker, this week is Environment Week in Canada. My question to the Prime Minister is this. Would it not be a wonderful thing if, during Environment Week, the environment committee strengthened Bill C-12, the so-called net-zero climate accountability act?

Specifically, one of my amendments has been rejected, and it would be so grateful to know from the Prime Minister why the government does not want the climate targets and climate plans to be based on the best available science. Right now the bill says the best available science must be merely taken into account. Surely we would not take it into account when we look at COVID. We base our decisions on science.

Hon. Jonathan Wilkinson (North Vancouver)
2021-06-01 15:10

Mr. Speaker, I wish the member a happy Environment Week.
The best available science tells us that we must achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, and certainly we are committed to meeting that target. With this legislation, we are enshrining that commitment into law.

We will be further strengthening this bill to include a number of amendments, including a 2025 review of our 2030 target and an interim emissions reduction objective for 2026, and enshrining the principle of progression of future targets. This legislation is very much a win for Canadians, who expect their parliamentarians to have a real plan to fight climate change and to build a clean growth economy.

The post Canada should improve Bill C-12 during Environment Week appeared first on Elizabeth May.

Which brings me to the latest outrage.  When land protectors at Caycuse or Fairy Creek are practicing, safe, peaceful and COVID-precautions in the protests, the Mounties are not.

Reports from people arrested are worrying. The paddy wagons are over-crowded. Now, maybe the RCMP Establishment thinks that if you violate a private injunction in the interest of destroying the last of British Columbia’s old growth forest, you are no longer entitled to the public health precautions dictated by the same government that has decided you should face arrest.   My friend Linda’s son Chris was arrested without his being aware he was in any zone where an arrest was legal.  The arrests were random. He was not in an area described in the court ordered injunction “no go” zone. As far as he knew, he was not even in one of the RCMP fake “exclusion zones.”  He had joined a large group of land protectors, sitting at distance, singing, and unaware they were in a place that would result in arrest. They had passed a small group of RCMP officers on the road before they reached a spot where they set themselves down.  Then a much larger group of RCMP officers showed up and moved them back into more crowded spacing.  An supervising officer then stood amongst them and randomly pointed.  Arrest him. Arrest her…  Chris was one of those singled out and arrested. He has no idea why he was singled out. It had every appearance of being random.  His phone and backpack were taken from him and he was placed in a paddy wagon with others, with no COVID distancing.  He was wearing his mask. Others were not.

Maybe a mass of public opinion believes that an arrested, non-violent, defender of the irreplaceable ancient giants of our forests deserves to be exposed to COVID. But I doubt it. The RCMP need to be called out on this. And much more.

As I see it the RCMP are the law breakers here.  The treatment of journalists trying to document arrests violates the Charter and its protections of freedom on the press.  There is no court order justifying arrests of media – nor could there be. Yet the RCMP, in many well documents incidents, have threatened reporters with arrests – without any legal justification. This practice has been increasing as it was used in keeping reporters away from the arrests of Wet’suwe’ten Hereditary chiefs.

As well, the RCMP have been arresting, without legal justification, many members of the public. Worse, they have arrested indigenous peoples with constitutionally protected rights to be on their own territory, now further protected by UNDRIP laws, in place provincially, being developed federally and in place globally.   There is no court order in support of the RCMP-created “exclusion zones.”

Those arrested have also had their cars towed. Some have been roughed up.  This especially seems to be the case for indigenous youth.

Many friends and colleagues are considering making their way to Fairy Creek and the Upper Walbran to protect what is left. I am inspired that my old friend Tzeporah Berman is “back to the barricades.” https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-back-to-the-blockades-why-i-continue-to-fight-for-british-columbias/

We first met in Clayoquot Summer of 1993.  More accurately we met when the Sierra Club of Canada project the Clayoquot Express arrived in Tofino following a cross-country trek by rail – reaching the Peace Camp in the in-coming chill of winter in November 1993.  I am considering being arrested there too.

Part of my reasoning is my growing panic that the last chance for our biosphere is running out – like sand between my fingers. And part of the reason for that anxiety is the back-room deal between the Liberals and NDP to push through Bill C-12 – the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act – without any real improvements.  The shenanigans have been outrageous, but media is not watching what goes on in committee. Some reporters have dutifully reported the Liberal-NDP spin (sadly echoed by some climate groups) that major improvements are being made. Please show me one.

I have included some clips from the week of May 24 when the bill was before committee.  The amount of time for witnesses from the public was less than 8 hours over three days of hearing.  Most of the dozens of briefs submitted came after the hearings were over – as was the deadline for submitting amendments. As I wrote last week, as the last panel of witnesses was dismissed, we were told all amendments were due the next day.

Thanks to Conservative MP Dan Albas giving me his first six minutes,  I questioned the Minister of Environment about Bill C-12 at committee, listing the keys areas where the bill needs to be made stronger to keep global average temperature increase to 1.5 degrees C. And soon after that, I was able to question Environment Canada and Climate Change Assistant Deputy Minister, an old friend from his environmental policy days, John Moffat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ttb-Mtw7qRo

It was during Monday’s clause by clause committee meeting that I realized the fix was in.  In the normal course of most clause by clause reviews of legislation, a few of my amendments will be accepted – regardless of the subject area. But it became increasingly clear that there was a pact between Liberals and the NDP to defeat every Green amendment – even when my amendment was word for word identical to a Liberal amendment they wanted to pass.  The wording in question had been recommended by West Coast Environmental Law to ensure that next target is set, not five, but 10 years ahead.

How the Lib-NDP alliance was so unaware of the logic of legislative review that they failed to realize that defeating the wording they wanted as a Green amendment would preclude voting for the same language later as a Liberal amendment, is beyond me.  In fact, the chair of the committee had warned them, in routine fashion, that if the Green amendment failed then the identical Liberal amendment cannot be moved.  Only Bloc MP Monique Pauzé voted for my amendment.  And when the chair intoned, without any suggestion that he knew his ruling would create an eruption of howls of protest, that the Liberal motion could not be moved, I think we lost a good half hour to the ensuing chaos.  It was bizarre. It would have been funny, but for the importance of any improvement to this weak act.

Liberal MP Yvan Baker, whose amendment was identical to mine, suggested it could be moved once amended from ten years to 3650 days. The clerk said that wouldn’t work because that was still ten years. Then NDP MP Taylor Bachrach, replacing Laurel Collins who is on mat leave, came up with “nine years and 366 days.”  That was ruled to be sufficiently different from the Green amendment they had just voted down.  It was obvious to me then that any amendment from the Greens was going to be killed for no higher principle than that it was Green.

I give more detail here in this piece in the National Observer (please post and share as much as possible before the committee resumes at 3:30 EST tomorrow.): https://www.nationalobserver.com/2021/05/28/opinion/climate-emergency-weak-climate-change-act-being-steamrolled-through-parliament

It would take a miracle to get C-12 to be remotely consistent with the other strong climate laws around the world through this committee.  Clearly, Wilkinson – and his political higher ups, do not want a climate accountability. They want the appearance of climate accountability. I predict it will be rushed through the House.  But I do have hopes for the Senate to take the time needed to actually listen to evidence.  Still, it would be best if an uproar from citizens chastens the Liberals and NDP to actually insist on a stronger bill.

The other news this week that left us flattened, all of us, was the discovery of the remains of 215 little children – killed by the Government of Canada and the Catholic Church at the Kamloops Residential School. Unanimously, all parties agreed to fast track Bill C-5, moving through several stages of the bill in several hours. On behalf of Greens, Jenica Atwin gave an incredibly powerful and emotional speech.  I am so proud of her. https://www.kamloopsthisweek.com/sports/high-school/2.7227/mps-pass-bill-creating-national-day-for-truth-and-reconciliation-1.24324274

Hope you all have a happy Sunday and a warm welcome to June. Wish me luck tomorrow in clause by clause!

Love,

Elizabeth

P.S. In case you missed it, here is a recording of our wonderful 10^th anniversary party!  Featuring Annamie Paul, David Suzuki, David Coon, Mike Schreiner, Lorna Crozier, Pat Carney, Cate May Burton and Sylvia Olsen and many more!!!

Feel free to share it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLDQZXqJtEY&t=10s

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The post Good Sunday Morning – May 30 appeared first on Elizabeth May.

The so-called climate accountability bill was set at such a low bar that it creates “accountability” in name only.

To get the changes needed to make it meaningful will take a miracle. A new world of pressure in 48 hours on Justin Trudeau, Jonathan Wilkinson and Jagmeet Singh to say, “Send back your half-baked loaf.”

I call on the Liberals and the NDP to deliver a bill that meets the demands of science — and our kids.

Since November, the bill has taken a slow, very slow, climb toward passage. Picture an amusement park ride where the thrill-seekers move on a slow, dull ride to a decent height only to suddenly drop to a dizzyingly fast finish. It takes your breath away. Or maybe it just makes you feel sick.

In parliamentary terms, I am describing the tabling of the bill last November, only to have it disappear from the parliamentary calendar until March, only to leave it to the side again until April, and then, after only 12 and a half hours of debate, the Liberals, with NDP support, claimed it was taking too long. Debate was limited — shut down after five more hours.

The reason I am sharing this now is not just that I am mad as hell, but because there is still time.

On Monday, we will vote on amendments to fix the advisory board to an independent science-based group.

We have not yet voted on my amendments, based on testimony from West Coast Environmental Law, to create some real accountability in requiring the government to meet the targets. We could fix the NDP amendment to ensure that the report on progress to an interim 2026 target be tabled in 2026.

The amendment could be good for public relations for the Liberals and the NDP, a watered-down version of a 2025 milestone year. It reads, “The emissions reduction plan for 2030 must include an interim greenhouse gas emissions objective for 2026.”

The reason I am sharing this now is not just that I am mad as hell, but because there is still time to fix Bill C-12, Green Party MP @ElizabethMay writes for @NatObserver. #ClimateLaw #Parliament #FederalGovernment #ClimateChange
But in the scheme of the other proposed amendments, reporting on that 2026 interim target will not take place until 2028. So, curb your enthusiasm.

There are models around the world Canada should be looking to.

Those who study climate law have observed steady improvement in refining such laws. The first, and in many ways still the gold standard, is the U.K. 2008 Climate Accountability Act. It is a big part of the reason that the U.K.’s climate plans are followed, despite elections moving from a Labour to Conservative government. The U.K. is now at 43 per cent below 1990 GHG emissions levels. It recently pledged to get to 78 per cent below 1990 by 2035. In contrast, Canada’s emissions, last verified just before COVID-19, are 21 per cent above 1990 levels. It is often said that Canada has never hit a climate target set by various governments. The truth is, we have never gotten the direction right — emissions rise despite targets for reductions. In fact, we have by far the worst record in the G7.

There are now climate accountability laws, more or less based on the U.K. model, in France, Denmark, New Zealand, Germany, Netherlands, Costa Rica, Pakistan, and elsewhere. The best bills share common features — starting with a hard target within five years of the bill passing. As climate accountability laws require verification and targets set every five years, the 2008 U.K. law started with a 2013 target. The climate laws that work also base their five-year targets in carbon budgets, set out as how many tons of carbon can be emitted over the five-year period, and the plans, budgets and progress are set. Another common feature is that the progress be monitored and reported on by an independent, science-based committee.

There are modifications within the laws. For example, the most recent law, the 2020 New Zealand act, includes all the U.K. elements, but adds more detailed carbon budgets and includes specific engagement requirements for Indigenous peoples.

One might have expected Canada to grab the New Zealand approach. Or even the U.K. approach.

But in contrast to laws from climate leaders, Bill C-12 has none of these shared common features. The first “milestone year” for accountability is 2030. The advice on targets, plans and monitoring is from a multi-stakeholder committee advising the minister — not independent, not expert. The targets are not structured as carbon budgets.

This was justified, so the Liberals, NDP and many hopeful environmental groups claimed, because of the imperative to get the bill to committee. It was the committee, all hoped, that would “fix the bill.”

But then the Liberals, with NDP support, shut down the review of the bill.

Instead of the weeks of testimony from concerned Canadians — expected for important legislation — only three meetings were held for a total of seven and a half hours.

The Hon. James Shaw, minister of climate for New Zealand, had agreed to testify.

So had the head of the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia University Law School. I had hoped Seth Klein would be a witness, plus climate scientists who could explain the imperative of holding to no more than 1.5 C warming. I submitted my list of witnesses. None of them were contacted or called.

No Indigenous witness had a chance to testify. No climate scientists (although some good climate policy and social science witnesses), but not the experts in explaining the perils of positive feedback loops. And no young climate activists — our real leaders.

When the hearing shut down last Thursday at 5 p.m., it was announced all amendments had to be submitted within 24 hours. The horrible reality is that hundreds of written briefs from concerned groups and individuals have been sent to the committee — after the study is over and amendments written.

We moved fast to a “clause by clause” review, with a first session of four hours on May 26. I submitted 37 amendments to committee to strengthen the bill. We are about halfway through, but the backroom deal to push through inadequate legislation is now transparent.

There is a deal between the Liberals and the NDP that gives the NDP some very small “wins” and rejects all Green Party amendments.

So far, Green amendments to insert a 2025 milestone year, to insist on targets “based on the best available science” and to embed the 1.5 C goal in the purpose of the act — are all rejected.

It is so crazy that my amendment to ensure that the next target is set not five, but 10, years ahead — identical to the next motion from the Liberals — was voted down, with only the Bloc Québécois voting for it. Then, to the shock of the Liberals and NDP MPs who wanted the amendment to pass, but not as a Green amendment, the chair informed them (which he had warned before the vote) that defeating my amendment meant that the identical Liberal amendment was also defeated.

That caused quite a kerfuffle, until the NDP changed the Liberal amendment to read, “nine years and 366 days.” Then they could pass it.

The NDP is already crowing about gaining an amendment (set to be heard and passed when we resume committee on Monday).

I call on the government of Canada to accept meaningful amendments. There is time to strengthen the climate accountability act to meet the demands of science and of our children.

The post Climate emergency! Weak climate change act being steamrolled through Parliament appeared first on Elizabeth May.

And so excellent to be looking forward to good Monday holiday morning! Happy Birthday to Queen Victoria, whose birthday May 24^th gave us this holiday weekend ever since 1854.

Good news this weekend is the collapsing fortunes of Kitimat LNG. Not that Greens (both BC and federally) have not been saying this for years – LNG is not going to be a money-maker for BC. There is a glut of it globally. The Christy Clark fantasy of a bright economic future from fracking and smashing the hell out of this province never made sense, even economically, once the price collapsed. John Horgan drank the LNG Kool-Aid left behind in the premier’s office, boosting fossil fuel subsidies over 70% once he came to office. And of course, illogically committing to Site C, which was part of the fantasy – electricity for LNG production. Russ Francis (in Focus on Victoria) has written much revealing what the mainstream press has ignored. https://www.focusonvictoria.ca/issue-analysis/46/

But the news for Kitimat LNG just gets worse and worse.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-woodside-to-exit-from-struggling-kitimat-lng-project-in-bc/

Remember in March, Chevron, holder of a 50% interest in the project, decided to stop any funding into Kitimat LNG. More than a year before, it had put its stake in the project on the market. No buyers.

The other 50% owner, Australian fossil fuel developer, Woodside, is also walking away. Unless a buyer steps up, this project is done. (Please Justin Trudeau, don’t even think about buying more fossil fuel infrastructure that the market has rejected).

Here’s how the Globe and Mail described the financial hit to both companies:

“Chevron and Woodside previously disclosed a total of US$2.32-billion in writedowns related to asset devaluations from their investments in the Bish Cove joint venture.

“The site preparation at Bish Cove and other work, including constructing a new road along difficult terrain near Douglas Channel, turned out to be much more costly and complicated than originally anticipated.

“In February, 2020, Chevron booked a non-cash, after-tax impairment charge of US$1.6-billion while Woodside wrote down US$720-million. On Tuesday, Woodside said costs associated with exiting Kitimat LNG would result in a hit of US$40-million to US$60-million to its net profit after tax.”

Of the more than 20 LNG proposals that were being hyped just a few years ago, the last one standing is LNG Canada – which is of course, not owned by any Canadians. The ownership is LNG Canada is Royal Dutch Shell (via Shell Canada Energy), PETRONAS -the state-owned oil and gas Malaysian giant, Japan’s Mitsubishi, Korea Gas Corporation, and PetroChina. LNG Canada relies on the Coastal Gas Pipeline being completed, a project violating Indigenous rights through Wet’suwet’en Territory.  Money woes have been aggravating in the relationship between the two companies as this Globe story details.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-ceo-wary-of-delays-on-lngs-kitimat-site/

Construction delays due to COVID outbreaks are driving up costs. Note that most of the promised construction jobs, touted by former Finance Minister Bill Morneau when he announced billions of dollars worth of federal concessions for LNG Canada’s Kitimat plant, are in China where the modular plant is being built.

For Kitimat LNG, the remaining owners who do bear consideration are the various First Nations who are disappointed to see their multinational “partners” walk away. https://financialpost.com/pmn/press-releases-pmn/business-wire-news-releases-pmn/first-nations-limited-partnership-incredibly-disappointed-by-woodside-petroleums-decision-to-join-chevron-canada-in-its-plan-to-exit-the-kitimat-lng-project

This is what happens when the high-rollers see the writing on the wall –  “stranded assets” of “unburnable carbon.” It is like a game of musical chairs and inevitably it will be First Nations stuck with the last chair and all the mess. This would be a good time to really work at Just Transition for the workforce and for any Indigenous interests with a stake in the climate bomb called “LNG.”

Meanwhile, I am sad to report that the NDP and Bloc MPs on the Environment Committee have allowed a travesty to take place. First, the NDP backed the Liberals to shut down debate on the so-called climate accountability act, C-12 after a very brief debate at Second Reading. On April 27^th, they enforced a motion that only five hours’ more could go to debate on C-12, after months of the Liberals not bringing it forward for debate at all. But the environmental groups largely supported the NDP and Liberal move to shut down debate. The great call went out that we needed to “get the bill to committee” where witnesses could be heard.

This week was an abomination. Witnesses began on Monday, with Minister of Environment and Climate Change Jonathan Wilkinson leading off three hours of a hearing on the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act. We had more witnesses on Wednesday and Thursday and then –  that’s it. No more witnesses. After exactly nine hours of study, including the minister, the hearings on C-12 are over. And, at 5:30 on Thursday, we were told, “get your amendments in by Friday at 5 pm.”

I had submitted a list of witnesses to the committee. They had all agreed to appear, including the director of the Sabin Centre for the Study of Climate Law from Columbia University Law School, the Minister of Climate from New Zealand, the Hon. James Shaw, who brought in that country’s climate law last year, and a series of climate scientists. None of my witnesses were contacted or called. Seth Klein would also have testified, but was not called. One witness, Toby Heaps of Corporate Knights, was called to appear, but lacked an acceptable microphone for interpretation. Normally, an important bill would have more time for study, so Toby Heaps should have been able to get the right headset to appear next week. I tried to plead for more time and at least another day to hear witnesses, but to no avail. The committee in closed session had already voted to restrict evidence to only nine hours. For that to happen, it means both the NDP and Bloc members voted with the Liberals. I was given some time to ask questions from my friend, the Bloc environment critic Monique Pauzé and, quite unexpectedly, a good amount of time from Conservative Environment critic, Dan Albas.

But, I am shaken by this. It feels like “Verdict First! Evidence Never!”

Who was called as a witness and who was left out?  Environmental groups were heard, some law groups, Canadian Labour Congress and some Quebec unions, Chamber of Commerce, Cattlemen’s association, Pulse growers, Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers. Some excellent testimony. Some awful. Who was not called? Climate scientists. Young people. Not one indigenous witness.

This hell-bent for leather approach does not bode well for the possibility of strong amendments. That process, called “clause by clause”, is scheduled for a four hour block on Wednesday afternoon.  Thanks to my amazing team, we got our amendments in on time.  Through the grueling process involving legislative drafters and English-French translation, just under the wire before Friday at 5 pm Ottawa time, we got in 37 amendments. But I am not allowed to vote on my own amendments and unless the NDP, Bloc and Liberals vote for my amendments, they will all be defeated. The ones that really matter are for a first deadline year of 2025, not as currently drafted, 2030. It matters that we include carbon budgets. And the process should be guided by independent expert advice. All of these elements are integral to the successful Climate Accountability law in the UK, France and New Zealand, among others. Only Canada has proposed such useless legislation for climate. A climate accountability act with no accountability.

Wish me luck for Wednesday. (By the way, you can watch on parlvu).

To close with something lovely for a holiday weekend, I am so happy to share in the PS – the poem Lorna Crozier wrote for me and read for our tenth anniversary party (10 years as MP for Saanich-Gulf Islands). Also my dear friend Dorothy Field shared a wrenching poem she wrote about the situation in Israel and Palestine, and I include a link to a very important blog from Paul Manly.

Since last week’s newsletter in which I focused on the accelerating crisis, we have a cease-fire. But we must not stop pressing for justice and peace for Israel and Palestine. All those dear innocent children, regardless of their citizenship, religion or history need a real peace.

Love to you all this long weekend,

Elizabeth

• Paul’s blog:

Criticizing Israel is not antisemitism (paulmanlymp.ca)

(20+) Paul Manly for Nanaimo-Ladysmith | Facebook

Paul Manly (@paulmanly) / Twitter

• Lorna Crozier’s amazing gift of a poem for me

WOMAN WHO HOLDS THE MOON IN HER HANDS

(a poem on the occasion of Elizabeth May’s 10^th anniversary as my Member of Parliament)

I am a woman of rivers,

a woman of old-growth forests,

I am salmon woman, otter woman,

woman of eel grass and clams.

I have learned from water

how to fall without breaking,

I have learned from cedar

how to read the sky,

I have learned from the sea

how to hold the moon in all her phases

without causing harm.

I am a woman of moss,

a woman of cherry blossoms.

I am vegetable woman, deer woman,

woman of prayer and longing.

I have learned from moss

how to live on stone,

I have learned from blossoms

how to open into beauty, how to open

into brevity, I have learned from prayer

how to speak to mystery and wonder.

Things I do not see, I hear,

things I do not know

I seek. The tongues of snakes

carry the taste of me

into their dark nests underground,

yet they do not consume me. This

is what I have learned from them.

I am a woman of breasts, of limbs,

of words. I inhale the breath of all

who go before me and those who live close by,

the small breath of the field mouse, the blow of the whale,

the thousand exhalations of leaves as they fall.

I learn from water

how to flow over and around.

I learn from redwood

how to stay rooted to the earth

without bending down.

My name is Winged One,

my name is Lightning,

my name is Mountain Caribou,

my name is The Owl

Who Cannot Find a Home.

Look for me and I will find you.

I will ask. “What brought you here?”

I will ask, “What gifts do you bring

for the herring, the hawk, the wolf?”

I will ask, “What of yourself

will you give away to save

the songbird and the bear?”

If your answers please me,

I will summon the messengers

who ride the rain and the wind,

I will rub your feet with fat

for the journey ahead,

I will walk with you in beauty

into the rising sun. I will walk with you

in beauty into your last day on earth.

• Poem by Dorothy Field (my dear friend Dotter)

Did it rain last night? Is it raining still?

The rain unseen against a pearly sky, invisible

against the bright new leaves of the plum

and the Garry oak’s runnelled bark.

The Hebrew word rimon means both pomegranate

and grenade, their similarity of shape.

If I can’t see the rain, is it really raining?

But the deck is wet, the ground saturated, dark.

Lazarus seeds, what Israeli soldiers call rubber bullets

because you can scrape them off and reload.

If they don’t maim the first time, they may the second.

And truth​? The sharp splinters of rain

against the shadowed trunk of the Douglas fir?

Rain I can see.

Israeli officials call bombing operations over Gaza

   Mowing the Lawn.

When Palestinian protestors throw tear gas cans

back at the IDF they call it The Right of Return.

See it, don’t see it, the rain sluices down.

   The only revenge is making peace.

Final quote: Bassam Aramin and Rami Elhanan

Saanich-Gulf Islands Greens
http://www.sgigreenparty.ca/

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The post Getting to net zero emissions by 2050 does not ensure we will keep to 1.5 degrees C appeared first on Elizabeth May.

Two emergency debates were called this week. On Wednesday, MPs debated the COVID-19 situation in Alberta, and on Thursday, they debated the closure of the Enbridge Line 5 pipeline.

Member’s statements

Paul and Jenica had Member’s statements this week.

Paul used his statement to illustrate how women, especially vulnerable women, face the worst impacts of the crisis in housing affordability. He told the tragic story of a young Indigenous woman in Nanaimo who struggled with homelessness and recently died, stating that no one should be denied the right to a home.

In her statement, Jenica again pointed out the inconsistency between the government’s words and actions, this time concerning worker’s rights. She pointed out that on April 28, while the government observed a national day of mourning for workers injured or killed on the job, it also passed back-to-work legislation for striking dockworkers at the Port of Montreal.

Bill C-12: Canada’s Net-Zero Climate Accountability Act 

The post Green Caucus Week in Review 05/03 – 07 appeared first on Elizabeth May.