OTTAWA – Today, the Green Party of Canada commemorates the thousands of Indigenous children who were sent away to residential schools in Canada. Orange Shirt Day is the legacy of the St. Joseph Mission (SJM) Residential School (1891 – 1981) Commemoration Project and Phyllis Webstad, who was sent to the Mission for one school year in 1973/1974, when she was only six years old. Ms. Webstad is Northern Secwpemc (Shuswap) from the Stswecem’c Xgat’tem First Nation (Canoe Creek Indian Band).

“The lasting impacts of this dark period of Canada’s history endures to this day for so many Indigenous people,” said Green Party Interim Leader Jo-Ann Roberts. “Families and communities that were torn apart then, still live with the consequences. As we seek a path towards reconciliation, this day reminds us to acknowledge what happened, to reflect on the suffering incurred, and to ensure that it may never happen again.”

Green parliamentary leader Elizabeth May (MP, Saanich-Gulf Islands) said: “The deep and abiding pain of the residential school system is not history. It is deeply felt on an inter-generational basis. As Greens, we strive to be good allies. We continue to press for the calls to action from the Truth and Reconciliation process and the recommendations of the MMIWG Inquiry to be acted upon. One day a year is never enough in the quest for true reconciliation.”

Jenica Atwin, Green MP for Fredericton and caucus critic for Crown-Indigenous relations and Indigenous services concluded: “Orange shirt day is a critical day of action in recognition of the terrible tragedy of Indian residential Schools and their lasting legacy. Canada has a moral and fiduciary responsibility for reparations in the quest for justice and peace.

“In New Brunswick, I am proud of our public education system and our on-reserve schools for taking up the often painful challenge of residential school education and awareness. Across the province, children, parents, teachers and allies wear orange to honour survivors, the resiliency of their descendants and the thousands of innocent children lost. We must never forget and we must follow through with our promise to honour the calls to action from the truth and reconciliation commission of Canada, without further delay. Kiselomol Wassisok – (Love the children).”

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For more information or to arrange an interview contact:

Rosie Emery

Press Secretary

613-562-4916×206

rosie.emery@greenparty.ca

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It is my first full day home after a long shift in Ottawa, from June 1-18. The COVID-19 pandemic has been nearly over-shadowed these last few months by issues of racism and police violence. It is almost one month since the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed, handcuffed, innocent black man by the Minnesota police. The anger and cries for justice in the face of anti-Black racism have not lost momentum. On the contrary, Black Lives Matters protests have spread the message globally that racism must end.

For any Canadians who felt these issues did not touch us, the recent killings of indigenous people in New Brunswick are a wake-up call. Chantel Moore, a young Tla-o-qui-aht woman, had only recently moved from her home on Vancouver Island to be closer to her own mother and small daughter when she was killed by Edmundston, NB police. Seven days later, Rodney Levi, a local Mi’kmaq First Nation father of three, was killed by RCMP. I happen to know people who knew both Rodney and Chantel. What they seemed to have in common, in addition to being shot by police, is that both were well-loved. Their deaths are unexplained, shocking and unacceptable.

The video of the brutal attack on Chief Alan Adams, also released this week, further undermine any confidence in the RCMP and its treatment of indigenous people and people of colour.

On Wednesday, I held a press conference on Parliament Hill to repeat our call for a full inquiry into the RCMP as an institution, as well as into the systemic racism in police forces and the RCMP in particular. Watch video of entire press conference here: Greens call for inquiry into the RCMP.

We must ensure zero tolerance for racism from the RCMP and from local forces. In that press conference, I revealed further evidence of the degree to which the RCMP is racist as an institution. Detailed ATI revealed that the RCMP dishonestly rigged the bidding process for their new Communications Centre in Nova Scotia to deny the Millbrook First Nation a fair chance at winning the contract. This one example speaks volumes to me. For any entity to pull such a transparent bit of “cooking the books” means they believe they are unaccountable and above the law. This cannot be allowed to go uninvestigated. (see details of this contract here: Greens demand full inquiry into RCMP ) Most media focused on the uproar over Jagmeet Singh being ejected from the House. I think the focus must stay on the real issue.

As we try to navigate issues of diversity and race across Canada, the Green Party leadership race is also trying to level the playing field to ensure support for intersectional equity-seeking candidates. I have to apologise to those of you who received a fund-raising letter from the Annamie Paul campaign. I deeply regret the long time lag between assisting Annamie and the other candidates for whom assistance is planned. I know it created the impression that the letter from me was an endorsement. It is not. I am not endorsing Annamie Paul, nor will I endorse anyone in this race. My commitments to Annamie’s team are now complete.

Within the next few days, I expect that the party will allow me to write all our members a fund-raising email to assist other candidates. I am committed to do any fundraising events with the intersectional equity-seeking candidates upon their request.
We are working through difficult issues.  We are innovating. We are “walking the talk”; of truly supporting candidates from equity-seeking backgrounds. We have made mistakes. We will likely make more.  There is no “add water and stir”; handbook for taking a party that is overwhelmingly white and actually leveling the playing field of politics.  Politics has for generations been primarily the domain of straight white men.  That is changing, but it is a slow change. It leaves many people still looking in at a parliament where it is hard to find people who share their life experiences. This must change.

The leadership race is challenged by taking place in a pandemic. Events have to be on line. We are so grateful to Fair Vote Canada for hosting the first virtual event of the campaign – the first of several debates. This debate will focus on Electoral reform and the need for proportional representation. The benefits of fair voting are never far from my mind. I focused on PR as part of my speech this week in the House. response to the supplementary estimates. Please register at this link and tune in (https://www.fairvote.ca/greensdebatedemocracy/) for the first of the debates between and among the ten candidates for leadership. I will co-host with my immediate  predecessor, Jim Harris. We are both excited and positive about the strong field of diverse candidates. One of these ten candidates will be the tenth leader of the Green Party of Canada and take us to new heights in the next election!

Also never far from my mind is the worsening climate emergency. Wednesday, June 17th was the one year anniversary of the passage of the House of Commons motion that we are in a climate emergency. Watch my five minutes of questioning of Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson. I contrast the government’s response to the COVID-19 emergency and the pressing climate emergency. Elizabeth May: When will the government take the climate crisis as seriously as it is taking the COVID-19 pandemic?

Stay well and safe.

Much love to all,

Elizabeth

This weekly newsletter is published by Elizabeth’s EDA in Saanich-Gulf Islands. You can sign up for it here.

E-petitions open for signature
 e-2447 Open competition for research funding (closes June 23)
 e-2450 Legalize the transportation of CBD products across the Canadian border (closes June 26)
 e-2624 Include long-term care in the public health system (closes July 3)
 e-2416 Mandatory labelling of food containing GMOs (closes July 4)
 e-2655 Extend work permit timit limit for international students (closes July 10)
 e-2471 Grant the RCMP Funding for Body Cameras (closes July 16)
 e-2534 Amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (closes August 14)
 e-2565 Request that Israel immediately lift the blockade on Gaza (closes September 4)
 e-2583 Implement a Guaranteed Livable Income (closes 19 August)

 e-2615 Divest CPP from fossil fuel investments (closes October 3)

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Elizabeth May (Saanich—Gulf Islands) 2020-02-20 12:42

Madam Speaker, my hon. colleague from West Nova has offended deeply a sense of democracy and allyship that exists across the country. I respect the member enormously, but I have to make it clear that young people, people my age, seniors who stand in solidarity with indigenous peoples are no different, having no big connection. All the Canadians who stood up against apartheid, what was their connection? Whites walked with Martin Luther King. Did they have no connection? Did they have no right to be moved? Did they have no right to speak up against injustice when the groups that faced injustice were almost entirely, and usually vulnerable, and the minority? Those who stand in allyship should not be condemned, as they have been by the motion today by the Conservatives. I ask my friend from West Nova to think again.

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Elizabeth May (Saanich—Gulf Islands) 2020-02-18 13:58

Mr. Speaker, I rise again today to speak to the Wet’suwet’en situation, and the crisis that is gripping the country and about which this evening we will have an emergency debate. The most useful thing that I can do in 60 seconds is quote from a letter that appeared in the national newspapers from one of my constituents, whom members will know.

Ron Wright, Massey lecturer and author of A Short History of Progress, notes in this letter that in writing his book, Stolen Continents, he spoke of the Oka crisis and he sees parallels. He stated that: …[like] the Mohawks, the Wet’suwet’en have never [lost] their ancient sovereignty as an independent people. Under international law, he added, there are only two ways to lose sovereignty: by armed conquest or by signing it away in treaty. Neither is the case here. He continued: Like the Mohawks, the Wet’suwet’en have an ancient system of self-government that predates European occupation and is still alive.

Finally, he concluded that the elected band councils set up under the Indian Act merely administer the small territories defined as reserves. It is clear that the rule of law in this case is not muddied and only on one side. The Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs also stand with the rule of law.

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Mr. Chair, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission report had a lot of specific calls to action. The hon. member mentioned how many cities meet with chief and council.

I have had occasion, through the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, the big city mayors’ caucus, to hear the Mayor of Winnipeg, Brian Bowman describe some of the things that are going on in Winnipeg and other cities where the municipalities have taken on their share of what they see as a call to action within the Truth and Reconciliation Commission report, and pursued that.

Would the member reflect on those things in his own community? It certainly had impressed me to meet with mayors who, themselves, would say that they have to see these things, look at the medicine wheel, consider healing in these ways, and we really have to be deeply committed to reconciliation. They were not just mouthing the words. I found a deep commitment across much of the municipal order of government leadership across Canada. Does the member have any reflections on that?

Robert-Falcon Ouellette – Winnipeg Centre

Mr. Chair, Mayor Brian Bowman from Winnipeg has done a phenomenal job. I was a candidate against him and I recognize the great work he has done for Winnipeg. We have an aboriginal advisory council. Even our Winnipeg police force has two positions reserved for indigenous peoples in order to build a better understanding.

We had a former police chief, Devon Clunis, who spent an awful lot of time trying to build relationships with indigenous communities, to make sure that they felt the police were not there against them, but that they were there to help them and be protective of them. A lot of work goes into that each and every day in Winnipeg. There is always room for improvement. There are times when the police simply cannot respond to all the requests. Sometimes we have some issues with police response times in Winnipeg.

Nonetheless, they are on the road to trying to build a better society. However, there are so many issues that we face about needing an urban aboriginal strategy, including meth problems, opioid problems, and housing issues. I have 1,400 homeless people in my riding, many of whom were in the care of the state as children. I have 7% of the homeless population in my own riding. It is a dire situation that needs addressing with a whole-of-government approach, which I think the Prime Minister talked about today, as well as many other members in the House.

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