Good Sunday Morning!
And Easter Sunday it is! And also Passover… and Ramadan.
I know some readers dislike the mention of religion, but I have always found it fascinating that our three mono-theist religions of the tribes of Abraham lead to the same set of conservation practices in the spring of the year.
The pre-Easter Lenten season is forty days of fasting and denial of certain treats, while Muslim friends have the thirty days of Ramadan of daily fasting between sunrise and sundown, and Passover eschews the leavened bread of non-Passover meals.
Pretty obviously, religious observance has a long tradition of helping adherents get through the lower supplies of stored grains and other foods set aside from the previous fall’s harvest. Our extremely privileged lifestyle of the Twenty-First Century industrialized world has abundance disconnected from the growing season. Doing without is a part of many religions. However, the current dominant religion of our society, Econotheism, the worshipping of the economy and consumerism, wants nothing to do with self-denial. We live in a society that wallows in conspicuous consumption.
If we could apply notions of shared restraint for the collective good we could get rid of dependence on Russian oil with the simple steps I have mentioned before in the Ten Point Plan of the International Energy Agency.
Linking a war effort to energy conservation is not a new concept. In the Second World War, propaganda posters attacked the waste of gas implicit in the solo driver without passengers: “When you ride alone, you ride with Hitler.” No surprise, social media has adapted it to “you drive with Putin.”
On another note, our community meetings are going so well in Saanich-Gulf Islands. We have visited with communities in Brentwood Bay, Cordova Bay, Gordon Head, Salt Spring Island, Pender Island and Sidney. We are careful in keeping doors open for ventilation, with masking and distancing for the attendees. Next week we have a Green Party gathering on Tuesday from 7-9 at Shoal Centre in Sidney for Amita Kuttner’s “Reconnection Tour.” I’ll be joining them for that. See below for the full list of the Reconnection Tour Vancouver Island events.
Then I am back at community meetings. (Note that our April 20 meeting with Adam Olsen has been canceled. Hope to reschedule that one soon.) April 21 on Mayne Island, April 22nd is Earth Day and I will join a Peace Walk event in Ganges that day, then April 23rd on Saturna and April 30 on Galiano.
Please keep your fingers crossed for me as I hope to build all party support for my private members bill, C-226 to create a programme for Environmental Justice. My bill goes to the House for the beginning of Second Reading Debate on April 26. I plan to get back to Victoria to speak at City Council on Thursday, April 28th to urge it to support the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Please join me on May 15th with the Victoria Chapter of Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan for a Red Pashmina walk on to raise funds and awareness for our sisters in Afghanistan, as well as in refugee camps in neighbouring countries. It will be a 3 km walk from the legislature along the inner harbour, up Government St to Bastion Square and back to Douglas St.
We must not forget the appalling abuse of the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan. Catherine Lang writes very powerfully about the issue here:
Sharing my latest article on Canada’s climate failures: https://www.policymagazine.ca/budgeting-for-climate-disaster/
For now, I wish you the happiest of Easters… whether you worship or not. Enjoy the time off work! I know I am!!
With love, peace and joy!
Elizabeth
P.S. Upcoming events
TUESDAY, APRIL 19
7 to 9 P.M.
Sidney, BC
Town Hall with Amita
SHOAL Centre
10030 Resthaven Dr
Sidney, BC
RSVP
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20
7:30 to 9:30 P.M.
Victoria, BC
Town Hall with Amita
Burnside Gorge Community Centre – Activity Centre
471 Cecelia Road
Victoria, BC
RSVP
THURSDAY, APRIL 21
7 to 9 P.M.
View Royal, BC
Town Hall with Amita
Six Mile Pub + Eatery
494 Island Highway
View Royal, BC
RSVP
FRIDAY, APRIL 22
7 to 9 P.M.
Duncan, BC
Town Hall with Amita
Cowichan Community Centre – Heritage Hall
2687 James St
Duncan, BC
RSVP
SATURDAY, APRIL 23
7 to 9 P.M.
Nanaimo, BC
Town Hall with Amita
Beban Park Social Centre
2300 Bowen Rd
Nanaimo, BC
RSVP
SUNDAY, APRIL 24
7 to 9 P.M.
Courtenay, BC
Town Hall with Amita
Florence Filberg Centre – Evergreen Lounge
411 Anderton Avenue
Courtenay, BC
RSVP
MONDAY, APRIL 25
7 to 9 P.M.
Powell River, BC
Town Hall with Amita
Dwight Hall – Supper Room
Walnut St
Powell River, BC
RSVP