Week in Review: June 3 – 7
Welcome back to the parliamentary Week in Review for our Green Members of Parliament! This weekly e-newsletter recaps Elizabeth May and Paul Manly's work in Parliament when the House is in session. Using the links below, you can watch videos of Elizabeth and Paul's interventions in the House, keep up with their media releases, and read articles they have written.
With the last month of Canada’s 42nd Parliament in full swing, the days are longer and busier than ever for Elizabeth and our newly-elected Green Member of Parliament for Nanaimo-Ladysmith, Paul Manly.
The week started off with both Paul and Elizabeth attending the presentation of the Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. Paul and Elizabeth were grateful to attend the ceremony and hear the substantial recommendations of the commissioners. They will continue to hold the government accountable to these recommendations, and bring forward what they’ve learned to their own constituencies.
In other news, Bill S-203, Ending the Captivity of Whales and Dolphins Act, has almost made it to the finish line! On Monday, June 10, the bill will see its final hour of debate. Big thanks to Nathan Cullen, Member of Parliament for Skeena-Bulkley Valley, who graciously gave up the priority of his bill in the House to allow for S-203 to make it to its final stage.
If you’d like to show your support for this incredibly important piece of legislation, sign the Green Party of Canada petition here and give S-203 the final push it needs!
On Thursday, Elizabeth and Paul had a chance to visit with some local councillors from their respective constituencies – Councillors Ned Taylor and Zac de Vries of Saanich, and Ben Geselbracht of Nanaimo. The meeting was constructive, serving as a great chance for local government leaders to pass on their communities’ needs to their federal counterparts.
Scroll on below for more information on what Elizabeth and Paul got up to this week!
For further updates on Elizabeth's activities, you can follow her on Facebook, @ElizabethMayMP and on Twitter, @ElizabethMay. For updates on Paul's activities, follow him on Facebook, @VoteforPaulManly and on Twitter, @PaulManly.
* If you are having trouble viewing this email, please view it online here: elizabethmaymp.ca/category/publications/week-in-review-publications*
Key Moments this week:
In the House of Commons:
- Paul Manly: We must end the excessive profiteering of big pharma and implement universal healthcare
- Elizabeth May: Safe shelter for Indigenous youth must be available 24 hours a day
- Paul Manly: Refugee rights are at risk in government's omnibus budget bill
- Elizabeth May: Bill C-93, regarding cannabis pardons, still excludes marginalized people
- Paul Manly: Nanaimo-Ladysmith is in a housing crisis — What will the government do to help?
- Elizabeth May commits to promoting an Environmental Bill of Rights in the next election
- Paul Manly: We need expungement of criminal records for the simple possession of cannabis
- Elizabeth May: The government's media bailout has some problems and needs to be tweaked
- Paul Manly: We need the government to show the political courage for stronger greenhouse gas targets
- Paul Manly: What is the government prepared to do to curb Canada's GHG emissions?
Press Conference:
- Elizabeth May joins colleagues in calling for a public inquiry into the Lac-Mégantic rail tragedy (FR)
- Elizabeth May joins colleagues in the Up For Debate campaign launch: A non-partisan coalition effort to promote women's rights and gender equality in the 2019 federal election campaign
- Newly elected Paul Manly and Elizabeth May unveil the Green Party's 20-point climate plan
Statements and Press Releases
- All Canadians must work together on MMIW recommendations, says Elizabeth May
- Green Party Statement on World Environment Day
- Elizabeth May unveils Mission: Possible – the Green Climate Action Plan
- Elizabeth May calls out Senate committee for not proceeding with Bill C-48
- Elizabeth May "extremely disappointed" in the B.C. Court of Appeal ruling
- The global Green Wave is gathering momentum, says Elizabeth May
In the News
-
Paul Wells interviews Elizabeth May for Maclean's "In Conversation"
(Macleans, June 6) -
New Nanaimo MP Paul Manly opening office
(Carla Wilson, Times Colonist, June 4) -
Michael Higgins interviews Elizabeth May for CTV's Alberta Prime Time
(CTV, June 3) -
Don Martin interviews Elizabeth May on CTV's Power Play
(CTV, June 5) -
When Canada knew how to lead on the environment
(Elizabeth May, The Hill Times, June 5) -
Elizabeth May gets her moment
(Warren Kinsella, The Hill Times, June 3) -
Liberals and Conservatives tied in Atlantic Canada while federal Green support surges
(The Packet, June 5)
TUNE IN:
- Saturday, June 8: Fair Vote Canada Annual General Meeting Panel Discussion
- Sunday, June 9: CTV's Question Period with Evan Solomon
- Monday, June 10, 11 a.m. EST: Watch the last hour of debate for Bill S-203, Ending the capitivity of whales and dolphins Act
- Soon: Watch Elizabeth participate in a pre-election debate hosted by the Canadian International Council (June 5)
Petitions
MPs present petitions once the deadline for signatures has passed. After presentation in the House, the government has 45 calendar days to table a response.
Elizabeth and Paul presented the following petitions this week:
- Paul Manly: Adopt a poverty elimination strategy and a national climate policy
- Elizabeth May: Designate the Saanich Inlet a zero sewage discharge zone
- Paul Manly: Implement a national plastic strategy
- Elizabeth May: Pass Bill S-240, and end the trafficking of human organs
- Paul Manly: Remove statutory limits on back pay eligibility for the disability allowance
- Elizabeth May: Pass Bill S-203, and end the captivity of whales and dolphins
- Paul Manly: Prohibit human trafficking in organs and people travelling to get organ transfers
- Paul Manly: Cease the incarceration of those who suffer from drug abuse
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 Consultation on Amendments to the Corrections and Conditional Release Regulations
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
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
June 23