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Dear Friend,

Hello from Ottawa, where I am still catching my breath after an extraordinary day in Parliament.

Yesterday, during Question Period, the Green Party achieved a significant and public shift in the Carney government's positions on climate, on nature and on indigenous rights. After non-stop negotiations from Budget Day (November 4) until yesterday, I have been in near constant talks with those at the highest levels of the Liberal government, sounding out ideas, budgetary changes, and improved commitments.

It was a collaborative effort. Knowing I could not support the budget as written, how could we ensure significant changes before the vote? It was a moment, as Adam Olsen used to say, of being not in a balance of power but holding the balance of responsibility. After the election, I had not thought my one vote would matter so much. But as other parties suggested abstentions and some crossed the floor, the gap between carrying the budget and having an election continued to narrow.

I never once asked for political trade-offs, more money for the Green Party or more privileges for Greens in the House. All I was fighting for was climate action, while we still have a hope of staying below 2°C global average temperature increase.

Up until yesterday, the prime minister had refused to state that commitment to the Paris Agreement targets. He ducked and dissembled, saying he believed in ‘results’ not targets. But the results were on track to get worse and worse with new and more fossil fuel developments.

Now, we have a public and unambiguous commitment that Canada will meet its Paris targets, meet our commitments for wild salmon and whales, for forests and ecological health, and work in partnership with Indigenous Peoples to achieve those goals.

It is not everything we need. But building a good working relationship with a PM in a minority parliament demonstrates how much the Greens are needed right now. It also shows how critical it is that in the next election, whenever it comes, we elect many more Green MPs, starting with Mike Morrice in Kitchener Centre.

That is why I voted yes, to give the new government the benefit of the doubt. To build good will and work to create better for our collective future. I do not support every part of the budget, and I will continue to work against some of its promises. But Canadians overwhelmingly want to see MPs work together. They want to see an end to partisan sniping, trading the climate for short term political gain.

I pledge to keep pressing for climate action, emergency preparedness and adaptation, nature protection, Indigenous rights, and an end to our addiction to fossil fuels. I will never stop, but it sure would be a lot easier if we had financial support for my team and the work we do. We have a minuscule budget compared to other parties, and still punch way above our weight.

Please consider making a donation today so that Green voices and values can be heard far and wide. Giving hope to the young, and confidence that we can stand for and with Mother Earth, in solidarity with Indigenous land defenders, and calling for peace and well-being for all.

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Thank you for the messages of encouragement this week.

With love, hope, and determination,
Elizabeth

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