TRUTH IN ADVERTISING

Many observers have noted that vertising.” His response was en- tions are allowed to lie with impuni- the 2019 election campaign was couraging. He felt the Liberal Party ty. particularly nasty. The use of nega- had also been the victim of untrue My proposal is to amend the Elec- tive campaigning, drive-by smears advertising. tions Act to ensure that citizens and personal attacks seemed more We have truth in advertising re- have recourse to complain of ad- like US politics than Canadian. Our quirements for all manner of con- vertising they feel is untrue. The area was particularly hard-hit. We sumer and health products. When a new law would give the Commis- had a blanketing of air waves and new toothpaste hits the market, the sioner of Canada Elections the mailed literature that made false manufacturer is required by law to power to investigate and, on deter- claims against me and the Green make only verifiable claims. mining that a claim is false, order Party. As my constituents, be as- Shouldn’t political parties be held the political party to cease and de- sured that the charges leveled to the same standard? sist uttering false claims, as well as against me were untrue. Please publish a retraction, correction and come to a community meeting or The strange reality is that the Elec- apology. /ElizabethMayMP @ElizabethMay phone me if you want specific re- tions Act protects Canadians elizabethmaymp.ca January 2020 buttals against any of the many against “fake news” spread by for- I am interested in hearing from JANUARY COMMUNITY MEETINGS false claims. eigners, but not against absolute constituents about other efforts lies spread by Canadians, including that would be helpful in holding A MESSAGE FROM YOUR MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT I have asked the Prime Minister to by political parties. It should not be political parties to account. support a legislative change to the THANK YOU FOR YOUR ONGOING SUPPORT the case that political parties, their Given the fast pace and short Elections Act to ensure “truth in ad- candidates or third party organiza- time line of a Canadian election, MAYNE ISLAND BROADMEAD Let me begin by thanking the voters of Saanich– federal council of the of Canada. it is important that there also be 10 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm 18 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm Gulf Islands for re-electing me as your Member The next leader will be elected at the party

financial penalties to create a Mayne Island Community Centre Royal Oak Women’s Institute of Parliament. I am honoured and deeply

TAPE JAN 493 Felix Jack Road JAN 4526 W Saanich Road convention, October 2-4, 2020. powerful disincentive to such grateful. I also want to thank the other conduct. For example, the attack candidates and their teams of volunteers. Our This is a minority parliament and the five parties mailings that hit Vancouver Is- GORDON HEAD PENDER ISLAND local campaign was a very respectful and elected and serving in the House will have to land started near the very end of 12 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm 21 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm engaging citizen experience. Once again, we cooperate to get things done. I know we three the campaign, making it hard for Reynolds Secondary School Pender Island Community Hall JAN 3963 Borden Street JAN 4418 Bedwell Harbour Road had relatively high voter turnout – the highest in Greens will be working a lot with Independent the Green Party to respond be- . MP Jody Wilson-Raybould. She has been re- fore Election Day. Even the best It is no small thing to put your name forward for elected as an Independent which means she has system may not be able to get SIDNEY GALIANO ISLAND the facts set out before the dam- 14 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm 23 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm the federal parliament and I want to thank the same level of rights – or I should say is Mary Winspear Centre Galiano South Community Hall Conservative David Busch, Liberal Ryan Windsor, deprived of rights – to the same extent as the age is done. JAN 2243 Beacon Avenue JAN 141 Sturdies Bay Road NDP Sabina Singh and People’s Party Ron Broda three Green MPs. This inevitably means we are An effective system of sanctions for a fair and healthy campaign. most likely to collaborate. Despite the nastiness

and large financial penalties will SATURNA ISLAND CENTRAL SAANICH

required of the national election campaign, we will be

be required, potentially including 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm Secondly, I know the news that I have stepped postage postage 15 25

Saturna Island Rec Centre Brentwood Bay Community Club No No barring the candidate associated open to working across party lines to get things JAN 109 East Point Road JAN 7082 Wallace Drive down as leader of the with knowingly attempting to may have created some confusion. I am happy done. The well-being of Canada and getting mislead voters from being able FOLD to confirm that I am not retiring! Far from it. I things done for Saanich Gulf Islands will always to present again as a candidate. SALT SPRING ISLAND These community meetings are a very important opportunity am fully committed to being your Member of be my priority. 17 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm for me to hear directly from my constituents about the issues Gulf Islands Secondary School Parliament for as long as you will have me. I will JAN 232 Rainbow Road that you want me to raise in Ottawa. Whether you have come to every meeting since I was elected in 2011, or this is your first, serve my full term and intend to run again, I hope you will consider joining the meeting near you. whenever the next election will be. I remain leader of the Green Party in the House (adding to some confusion I suppose!) As COP25 leader in the House, I will be working with our Contact Information two Green elected MPs, (– OTTAWA OFFICE CONSTITUENCY OFFICE In December I attended the 25th Conference of the Parties (COP25), the international climate negotiations in Ladysmith) and (). A 518 Confederation Building 1-9711 Fourth Street Madrid as a member of the Canadian Government delegation. This annual conference brings together all the familiar name in our community, Jo-Ann Ottawa ON K1A 0A6 Sidney, BC V8L 2Y8 Jenica Atwin (MP Fredericton), Paul countries in the world to work together at holding global average temperatures increase to 1.5°C. At our Tel. 613-996-1119 Roberts, former host of CBC Victoria’s All Points Tel. 250-657-2000 Manly (MP Nanaimo–Ladysmith), and Community Meetings in January, I will give an update as to how these important negotiations went. Fax. 613-996-0850 Fax. 250-657-2004 myself at our first caucus meeting. West, has been appointed interim leader by the [email protected] [email protected] WHAT’S AHEAD MY LETTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER KEY MINISTERS On December 5th, I met with Prime Minister facilities, the land should be remediated and TO WRITE FOR to set out areas of common returned to Indigenous control – especially October 24, 2019 We also overlap on reducing cell phone charges. ADVANCING ground – as well as challenges where his where conversion to green technologies creates Dear Prime Minister, The Liberals, NDP and Greens spoke of real recon- administration’s policies must improve. new economic activity. In the next few years, ciliation and adopting the United Nations Declara- LOCAL ISSUES Many thanks for taking the time to speak with me th we must be flexible and creative to make tion on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Writing letters to Cabinet Ministers On November 15 , I laid out our key objectives on October 22, 2019. (UNDRIP). Greens and New Democrats called for is a highly effective way of building on a letter I had sent all the leaders on progress on multiple fronts. accepting the report on the Inquiry of Missing and th In thinking about how we can maximize progress in influencing the government October 24 . Common ground includes pharmacare, Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. The Liber- the coming 43rd session of Canada’s Parliament, I al platform spoke of reviewing the recommenda- priorities. Climate action is a fundamental red line for us. improved health care, especially addressing the wanted to share some thoughts with you, copying tions. Can we propose an immediate committee The Liberals’ current climate target is a target critical shortage of family physicians, mental the other leaders. on the MMIWG Inquiry to make the report of the Minister of Transport: health supports and addictions, the need to inquiry a priority area, by consensus? for failure – as is the NDP and Conservative As you know, none of the Green Members of Par- • Getting freighters out of our targets. We are facing a global climate address housing affordability and seniors care. liament will vote confidence in any government More difficult, but a key priority for Greens, is the emergency in which time is of the essence. I do We need better funding for veterans’ services that leaves the current Nationally Determined Con- need to pursue electoral reform. We have a pro- waters; ending free anchorages in the Salish Sea. believe there is hope to get the government to and housing. And of course, to varying degrees, tribution (NDC) under the U.N. Framework Con- posal that we believe meets the concerns you ex- vention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) as it is. The pressed in February of 2017. That would be a sys- embrace a science-based target and plan. we all support action toward real reconciliation. • Reducing aircraft noise current target (30% below 2005 levels by 2030) is tem of Single Transferable Vote, with ranked bal- Fortunately, in a minority, we may be able to The Liberals, NDP and Greens support the inconsistent with the advice of the Intergovern- lots. STV would achieve proportionality without pollution; particularly in higher exert more pressure. I believe that pressure implementation of the United Nations mental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). allowing any party to gain seats based on a certain elevation neighbourhoods; must come from civil society organizations, our Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous threshold of the national vote. And the voting can working to change approved It is urgent that Canada “ratchet up” our NDC un- be by ranked ballots. Do you see any scope to pur- flight paths. Youth climate activist Greta Thunberg, Severn Cullis- school children and Indigenous peoples. The Peoples. All of these would be ideal areas for der the terms of the Paris Agreement to make our sue this in the minority parliament? Suzuki and at the Fridays for Future emerging voice of municipal governments, cooperation. very best efforts to hold global average tempera- • Getting a zero discharge zone climate strike in Vancouver on October 25th. organized as a national climate caucus, is also ture increase to no more than 1.5 degrees C. To I also think our democracy will be better served by for sewage in the Saanich Inlet. All of that said, it is very unlikely that the three have any useful role in pressing other nations to do having a huge impact. amending the Elections Act to ensure that “Truth in Green votes will ever make the difference more, we must ratchet up in advance of the 25th Advertising” is required in political ads – whether • Cleaning up Reay Creek. between the Liberals losing or keeping the Conference of the Parties (December 2 - 13, 2019), from Third Parties or Political parties. The last set of We must take threats to Canadian unity very Minister of Fisheries and Oceans: confidence of the House. The way the seat to be held in Santiago, Chile. That change does amendments to the Elections Act, C-76 in the last WHAT ARE YOUR PRIORITIES FOR seriously. We need to address the climate not require Parliament to be sitting. It can be parliament, created powers to act to remove “fake • Taking action to protect the emergency without prompting Western count works out, Trudeau will likely be able to made by the executive, as was the current target in news” from foreign interests, but failed to protect THE MINORITY PARLIAMENT? Southern Resident Killer Whales. alienation. One important signal would be to get either the Conservatives, the Bloc and/or May 2015. our elections from domestically sourced untruths. revamp the controversial environmental the NDP to support his government. The other • Modernizing west coast fisheries  Tax cuts To improve humanity’s chances of survival, it is crit- Similarly, I request that we all, as leaders in Parlia- parties will always be looking to their bank policy to better serve local assessment act (Bill C69 in the last parliament) ical that Canada assume a leadership role, first ment, commit to respecting our Standing Orders to  Climate action to structure it firmly only in areas of federal accounts before prompting a snap election and ramping up our own ambition and then pushing ensure our members do not heckle or act disre- needs and protect fish stocks. jurisdiction. Alberta and Saskatchewan’s fiscal will be unlikely to let the government fall until for more ambition overall in global negotiations. spectfully toward the Speaker or toward one an-  Ending fossil fuel subsidies The work of attributing the appropriate level of Minister of Environment: health will also be improved by removing the their coffers are full. other.  Health care ambition by sector, or region, within Canada can • Taking action to protect the liabilities on the provincial books from take place after COP25. There is no doubt this is Even though our three votes are not holding Greens believe it is important that we try to com- Southern Resident Killer Whales.  Pharmacare abandoned fossil fuel operations and future the balance of responsibility, nevertheless, we the single most important issue we are facing. Ide- promise where compromise is possible and work ally, you would establish an internal cabinet, includ- together so that the 43rd Parliament can be as liabilities from the oil sands. The federal will have influence. • Implementing the Marine  Reconciliation with Indigenous peoples ing all leaders, to ensure actions are collaborative productive as the Liberal minority of former Prime Protected Area for the Salish government should absorb these liabilities and and well-informed by science. Minister Lester B. Pearson.  Electoral reform use the current fossil fuel subsidies for clean-up I will always do my best to get government Sea. attention for key priorities that never come to a As we begin the parliamentary session, we should  Other/Additional Comments: and conversion of abandoned deep oil wells to Many thanks for your consideration of these pro- • Taking real action on climate vote in parliament. find areas of common ground where the votes line posals. geothermal electricity. Wherever Indigenous up naturally to make real progress. I suggest that change and improving Canada’s ______peoples’ territories have abandoned fossil fuel banning single-use plastics is one of those areas of Please feel free to contact me about other areas of targets. agreement. possible agreement. ______Minister of Infrastructure: ______So also, a critical goal is bringing in Pharmacare. Respectfully, • Funding for transportation The Liberal, Green and NDP platforms all called for On Nov. 15th, I met with program, implement initiatives for the Saanich ______the Prime Minister as the UNDRIP, take action to Pharmacare. Can we (Liberal, NDP and Green) Elizabeth May O.C. Member of Parliament Peninsula (reducing congestion Green Party Parliamentary protect abortion access in agree to make it universal and effective, as recom- ______mended by the Hoskins Report? Can we commit Saanich–Gulf Islands and pollution). Leader. I pressed him to Fredericton, and move the to making it a priority to be accomplished in 2020? ______urgently; improve Canada’s conservation of Vancouver cc: Please always feel free to send me a climate targets so we can Island forests to be We have wide consensus on the need to ramp up Hon. - Leader, Conservative Party copy of your letter. I appreciate ______meet our obligations under conserved under First mental health care, addressing the opioid crisis, of Canada hearing my constituents’ point of ______the Paris Agreement, enact Nations control in moving support for seniors and ways to make housing Yves-François Blanchet - Leader, Bloc Québécois view. a national Pharmacare towards reconciliation. more affordable. - Leader, NDP Photo Credit: Adam Scotti/PMO ______