Green party leader Elizabeth May was among those invited to Barrhaven on April 28 to take part in a panel discussion about democracy in Canada.

Joining her was Anita Vandenbeld, a former Liberal candidate in Ottawa West-Nepean, and Tyler Sommers of the group Democracy Watch.

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May will introduce a Private Member’s Bill calling for the development of a national strategy to address the challenges of the timely recognition, diagnosis, and treatment of Lyme disease.  The bill also calls for funding for provinces and territories to implement the strategy.

“Lyme disease can be devastating. Too many Canadians are now disabled, deprived of the joy of family and friends, of school or work, due to Lyme disease.  The public and the medical community need to be educated as to the increasing incidence and range of this disease,” said May.

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that is that is spread to humans and animals through the bite of certain types of ticks, particularly the black-legged tick.  Notoriously under-diagnosed and under-reported, the disease can cause serious symptoms if left untreated including recurring arthritis and neurological problems.  

The risk of exposure to Lyme disease is highest in parts of southern and south-eastern Quebec, southern and eastern Ontario, south-eastern Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and much of southern British Columbia.

Warming temperatures are leading the increase in range for the black legged tick.  Scientists are endeavouring to create enhanced surveillance tools, such as risk maps.  A national strategy could support this work and ensure that people can be vigilant in areas where the tick is becoming established.  If doctors know that the local risk has increased, they can help with early diagnosis and prevention.

Early treatment of antibiotics can avoid potentially serious long-term disabilities or even death.  Chronic Lyme disease requires improved diagnostic testing and treatment.

“Scientists are warning that a warming climate will expand the geographic range of Lyme disease-carrying ticks further into Canada, so it is imperative that we are proactive,” said May.

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On paper this looks like we should have energy security, but the oil is not distributed evenly.  Oil from Hibernia on the East Coast is exported, as is Athabasca bitumen crude.  Ontario, Quebec and the Atlantic provinces rely on oil from Angola, Nigeria, Venezuela, Norway, Kazakhstan, and Saudi Arabia.  In fact, 100% of the oil used in Quebec and the four Atlantic Provinces is imported.

In hearings before the House Natural Resources Committee, I heard executives from the oil industry say that if there was a disruption of supply to get oil to Eastern Canada, they could send tankers down through the Panama Canal to get to Eastern Canada. The U.S. also has a Strategic Petroleum Reserve to ensure security of supply.  Does anyone find it odd that Canada does not?  I think we should have a plan to ensure energy security for Canada.  To do so, we would need to reverse some existing pipeline flows and invest in upgrading some of the existing pipeline infrastructure.

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The irony is that if Canada continues to ship out bitumen crude as fast as humanly possible, it is Ontario, Quebec and the Atlantic provinces that must continue to depend on imports from Angola, Nigeria, Venezuela, Norway, Saudi Arabia and Kazakhstan. Fifty-five per cent of the oil used in Canada is imported. Meanwhile, bitumen crude is shipped to other countries for processing.

Every barrel of crude shipped out of Canada ships out jobs with it. The distortions from the Conservatives on the question of oilsands expansion, raw product export and risky tanker traffic keep trying to limit discussion to environment versus economy. The truth is that it is not in Canada’s interests — in terms of energy security, the environment or the economy — to follow the Harper agenda.

Elizabeth May
MP, Saanich-Gulf Islands
Leader, Green Party of Canada

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The Committee has been studying the Lobby Act to ensure that the relationship between lobbyists and political office-holders can be transparent and well-understood by Canadians.

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