SoVote

Context: House Hansard - 292 - Mar/20/24

Ms. Elizabeth May (Saanich—Gulf Islands, GP)

Mar/20/24 2:04:52 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we are facing unthinkable levels of climate crisis events globally. Scientists are alarmed, and so should we be all. It is very clear that last year, 2023, was the warmest year on record. Also, it is now clear for Canadians what we all knew. Records have been smashed. Records have been broken. This winter was the warmest winter on record in Canada, and according to senior climatologists, the warmest year on record by a stunning margin. It is not just the land that is hotter and drier; it is the oceans. I refer members to a recent article in The New Yorker by Elizabeth Kolbert: “Why is the Sea so Hot?” Temperatures in our oceans reached a shade below 70°F globally, and since the start of 2024 they have been going up. Are we—

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Context: House Hansard - 292 - Mar/20/24

Ms. Elizabeth May (Saanich—Gulf Islands, GP)

Mar/20/24 5:13:13 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, as members will know, on principle, I am deeply offended by the move toward the continual limiting and cutting off of debates through the use of closure. I was elected to this place and have had the honour of representing Saanich—Gulf Islands since 2011. When this first began to happen under the previous administration of Prime Minister Harper, I counted the number of times closure and time allocation were used. It increased exponentially. At that time, the Liberals, in opposition, said they would not do the same thing, and now it is even more routine than it was under the previous Conservative government. I would ask Liberal colleagues to consider that this will become permanent. I would say to our Conservative colleagues, who now object to it, that they will again experience it, no matter who is in office, unless we decide to respect debate in this place and not routinely use closure.

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Context: House Hansard - 292 - Mar/20/24

Ms. Elizabeth May

Mar/20/24 5:22:34 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, because we are able to have this conversation continue back and forth, the hon. minister seems to suggest that my opposition, in principle, to the use of time allocation would mean that this place would come to a standstill and no business could get done. I plead with all sides of the House to return to the use of the rules we have, so House leaders, when they meet, can have a legitimate and honest sharing of views as to how many members in the place are legitimately prepared to speak. Under our rules as they exist, although they are continually ignored, this would require that members speak without notes and that they not read a speech that is handed to them. If we were to do that, we would no longer have the situation where a government House leader looking at an opposition House leader would get a shrug of the shoulders and not be sure how many members they are going to put up, because everybody knows we can put up every last member if we hand them a speech to read. We have to make this place work to the purpose for which it was created: legitimate, honest, informed debate.

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Context: House Hansard - 292 - Mar/20/24

Ms. Elizabeth May (Saanich—Gulf Islands, GP)

Mar/20/24 6:58:56 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, having sat through the presentation from the hon. member for Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, I would like to commend him for his thoroughness and for citation of relevant authorities in a fashion that did this place honour. It is so encouraging to hear a debate, and I am not going to mention others, that is substantive and helpful. On behalf of the Green Party of Canada, I wish to commend the member, and I wish to commend to the Speaker the veracity of his point of order. I completely agree with every word spoken by the member for New Westminster—Burnaby on behalf of the New Democratic Party. The Green Party wishes to be aligned with those comments and the hope that the Speaker will come back and Mr. Firth will stand there and answer some questions.

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