Good Sunday Morning!
News from me is blessedly boring. I continue to rest. John is carefully monitoring my blood pressure and I am proving to be a very good patient!
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My doctor is pleased and the only advice is do not rush back to work! I am going to be just fine. I am enjoying so many nice messages- a ton from fellow MPs from all the other parties. Their emails make me quite choked up from time to time. People with whom I spar on a regular basis write how the country needs me and I need to get back to work for everyone’s sake. I have had kind notes like that from Liberals, NDP, Bloc and Conservatives alike. It does a woman’s heart good to have such affirmations. I even had a lovely phone call from former Environment Minister Catherine McKenna wanting to get together in Ottawa as soon as I am able. That was a surprising call and who knows where it may lead. Somewhere promising I hope! In fact all the kind and generous messages I have received make me hope for more cross party collaboration.
But then the appalling incident in Belleville Ontario on Thursday. https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/belleville-ont-mayor-condemns-hateful-and-discriminatory-behaviour-during-pm-s-visit-1.6490281
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had to cut short a public event at a Belleville Ontario farmers market as dozens of people (maybe even a hundred ) swarmed him and his motorcade yelling obscenities. Really disturbing was yelling “Traitor!” and one video shared on social media someone yelled “Jew” – so anti Trudeau and ant-Semitic and hate-filled. Not a scene I would have imagined in Canada. They had “F**k Trudeau and pro Trump flags.
I have denounced this publicly through Twitter as have a number of MPs in other parties, such as NDP MP Charlie Angus who was clearly upset.
Our job as Greens is clearly cut out for us to chart the course in our current political climate to bring people together. The move to increased nastiness, to what social media algorithms promote in what is so aptly called “rage-farming” is dangerous for any democracy. The spill-over from the toxic state of US politics is so concerning.
As Canadians we have to – each and every one of us contribute to a shared sense of compassionate and loving community. It is challenging when some in politics believe it is enough to promote personal hatred of Justin Trudeau. Hating Trudeau is not a solution to anything. And yes, by “some in politics” I do mean Pierre Poilievre who has adopted quite Trumpian tactics. We must work very hard to ensure they do not take root in Canadian soil. And I do want to stress that many Conservative MPs have sent loving messages to me.
Encouraging news from last week is the formation of this stellar group of globally concerned citizens committed to protecting and preserving the environment and climate from the war on Ukraine.
Ukraine’s Zelenskyy meets Greta and others to discuss the war’s effect on ecology By Associated Press | News, Politics | June 30th 2023
And before ending this letter a reminder to please sign and share Mike Morrice’s petition to end subsidies to fossil fuels. Mike’s message below includes his work in asking the Parliamentary Budget Office to estimate the increase in such subsidies. The cut off to sign the petition is in only FOUR DAYS- July 27th!
| Did you know the Canadian government spends at least 4.8 billion dollars of your hard-earned money on subsidies for fossil fuels? This not only makes the production and consumption of these damaging fuels more affordable, but it also accelerates the worst impacts of the climate crisis we’re feeling today. We must act now to reduce our pollution levels and protect our planet.
We find ourselves facing a climate crisis that demands our collective focus, attention, and action. This is why I am reaching out today: to invite you to sign my petition calling for the Government of Canada to halt its fossil fuel subsidies and take immediate, substantial action to dramatically reduce its pollution levels. To sign the petition, simply click on this button and sign before July 27th. Since we first drafted the petition, we’ve received new information through the non-partisan Parliamentary Budget Officer about the true cost of how much money Canadians are giving to oil and gas companies: as high as $22 billion a year! Together, we can push for change by taking a stand. Every signature signifies a pledge for change and sends a compelling message that we urgently need policy reform. We invite you to join us in this crucial campaign to secure a sustainable future for our planet. We also ask that you share this message with your friends, family, and colleagues. We need all the support we can get to make sure these crucial demands for meaningful change are heard. Thank you for your continued commitment to protecting our planet. Sincerely, Mike Morrice P.S. Our work is enabled by generous supporters across Canada. Becoming a monthly donor is easy – simply click this link and sign up today. |