Week in Review Jan 30 - Feb 3

Welcome back to the Green Caucus Week in Review! After the holidays and several constituency weeks, MPs returned to the House of Commons. As usual, the first week back was full of action.

Elizabeth, Mike, and Green Party of Canada co-leader Jonathan Pedneault held a press conference on Tuesday to highlight Green priorities for the upcoming session. You can watch the full press conference here.

The Green caucus also marked February 1st, the first day of Black History Month, with a solemn tribute to Tyre Nichols, and a hopeful look ahead to the future. You can read Elizabeth’s statement here.

Elizabeth defended amendments to Bill S-5 in committee this week. Her amendments seek to strengthen the regulation of toxic substances and to create an enforceable right to a healthy environment. Unfortunately, Elizabeth’s amendments have so far all been voted down, including one that would have required companies to create a pollution prevention plan for all chemicals listed as toxic under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act. Help Elizabeth raise awareness about her efforts to strengthen environmental regulations by sending a letter to the Minister, here.

Elizabeth’s PMB on confronting environmental racism was debated at Report Stage today. Unfortunately, Conservatives blocked debate the debate before Elizabeth could speak. No MP could ever remember such a move. The result is that MPs will vote on C-226 at report stage on Wednesday February 8. Third reading will likely take place in April. Slowly but surely, moving to make this law.

Elizabeth and Mike were happy to see Bill C-22, The Canada Disability Benefit Act, pass third reading to be sent to the Senate.

A petition sponsored by Mike has received more than 10 thousand signatures in under a week: the petitioners call on Canada to grant asylum to transgender and non-binary people who are unsafe or face discrimination in their home countries. You can sign the petition here.