Week in Review: April 8 – 12
Welcome to Elizabeth May’s parliamentary Week in Review! This weekly e-newsletter recaps her work in Parliament when the House is in session. Using the links below, you can watch videos of Elizabeth’s interventions in the House, keep up with her media releases, and read articles she has written.
This week was relatively quiet in the House of Commons compared to the political drama that has been unfolding over the past weeks, but the critical work being done on behalf of Canadians continued.
The debate started on the Government’s omnibus budget bill. This legislation, introduced as one bill, would require 35 separate changes to other pieces of legislation. The practice of omnibus bills is deeply anti-democratic and limits the opportunities MPs have to engage meaningfully. Elizabeth has consistently spoken out against this practice in and out of the House of Commons.
In addition to challenging the use of omnibus bills, Elizabeth spoke to Bill C-88, An Act to amend the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act and the Canada Petroleum Resources Act, and C-97, the Budget Implementation Act, 2019, No. 1, in the House of Commons. She also attended a Press Conference with MPs from all parties marking the 25th anniversary of the Rwandan Genocide.
Bill S-203, An Act to End the Keeping of Whales and Dolphins in Captivity, reported back to the House of Commons from the Fisheries and Oceans Committee. The first hour of third reading debate on this legislation will take place on May 10th. We will be sure to keep you updated on ways you can help as it progresses.
The next Week in Review will be the week of April 29th when the House returns. For further updates on Elizabeth’s activities, you can follow her on Facebook, @ElizabethMayMP and Twitter, @ElizabethMay.
* If you are having trouble viewing this email, please view it online here: elizabethmaymp.ca/category/publications/week-in-review-publications*
Key Moments in the House
In the House of Commons:
- Question Period: When will we properly recognize the Peacekeepers from the Rwandan Genocide?
- Bill C-88: We have to fight to protect the environment in Northern Canada
- Bill C-97: We can implement Pharmacare now
- Point of Order: We must stop heckling, our constituents deserve better
- Point of Order: Why is the government continuing to use omnibus budget bills?
- Point of Privilege: The Reform Act is law, and as such we must follow it
Press Conference:
Highlight from last week:
Statements and Press Releases
- Statement on UN World Health Day
- Elizabeth May calls for expanded inquiry into the potential conflict of interest in SNC-Lavalin affair
- Elizabeth May first federal leader to hit the ground running in Nanaimo-Ladysmith
In the News
- Canadians should be watching P.E.I — no, really
(National Post, Kelly McPharland, April 11)
- Northern MPs call climate change report an ‘eye opener,’ say it should ‘sound the alarm’ for change
(The Hill Times, Samantha Wright Allen, April 10)
- Trudeau says government wants to ensure fairness in refugee system
(Global News, Teresa Wright, April 10)
- CBC’s The Current – Talking about the Green Wave
(CBC Radio, Anna Maria Tremonti, April 10) starts at 46:20
- Defence Minister promises to find out why Rwanda veterans’ service not recognized by department’s website
(The Globe and Mail, Gloria Galloway, April 8)
- Green Party Leader Elizabeth May campaigns with Paul Manly in Nanaimo
(CHEK News, Dean Stoltz, April 6)
- Better Voters: Necessity demands a different approach to democracy
(Elizabeth May’s literary review of Too Dumb for Democracy? by David Moscrop)
Petitions
Elizabeth presents petitions once the deadline for signatures has passed. After presentation in the House, the government has 45 calendar days to table a response.
This week Elizabeth presented petitions calling on the government to implement all 75 recommendations from the Cohen Report on Wild Salmon and calling on the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans to expedite the creation of marine protected areas by elimination multilateral communications problems.
You may read the governments’ responses to petitions Elizabeth has introduced here.
View and sign open e-petitions currently sponsored by Elizabeth here.
Learn about the e-petition process or create one of your own here.
Community Newsletters
September 2018 – Immigration and Refugees
Committees, Briefs and Responses
Submission to Consultations on the Draft Federal Sustainable Development Strategy
Submission to Fisheries and Oceans Canada on Proposed Regulations on Rebuilding Plans
Submission to the Cannabis Legalization and Regulation Branch on Edible Cannabis
Submission to the Consultations on the Initial Environmental Assessment of the New NAFTA
Submission on the External Review of the Critical Habitat Section for Resident Killer Whales
Submission to the Consultations on an Amendment to Aquaculture Regulation
Submission to the Transport Canada Parliamentary Consultation
Submission to the Consultations on the Federal Carbon Pricing System
Submission to the Consultations on the Federal Leaders’ Debates
Submission to the Consultations on Health Canada’s Proposed Approach to the Regulation of Cannabis
Submission to the Consultations on the Proposed Excise Duty Framework for Cannabis Products
Submission to the Canada-Pacific Trade Consultations
Brief Submitted to the NAFTA Renegotiation Consultation
Brief Submitted to the Minister of Food and Agriculture Canada for “A Food Policy for Canada”
Response Submitted to the Consultations on Tax Planning Using Private Corporations
Private Members’ Bills
Elizabeth May has introduced the following bills:
Bill S-203: This bill will outlaw the cruel practice of keeping whales, dolphins and porpoises in captivity.*
Bill C-401: This bill will lower the voting age to 16.
Bill C-387: This bill will establish a legislative framework for a national passenger rail service.
Bill C-269: This bill will abolish mandatory minimum sentences for all crimes except murder and treason.
Bill C-258: This “Think Small First” bill would require that every new bill introduced in the House undergo an assessment to determine how the bill would impact Canadian small businesses.
Bill C-259: The Open Science Act would require all federal departments to make all publicly funded scientific research available to Canadians on their websites.
For a list of private members’ bills Elizabeth May has seconded, please visit elizabethmaymp.ca.
* Indicates that the bill is a Senate Public Bill
Upcoming Events
April 13
April 15 & 16
April 20