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Elizabeth May

Green Party Leader Elizabeth May represents Saanich-Gulf Islands, B.C.

Governments unprepared for risks of a dilbit spill in western waters

  • I can lament the failure of the B.C. NDP and the federal Liberals to keep their promises, while praying that the likely spills will
Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | June 27, 2024
A rally against the Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion in Ottawa in 2018. There has been no evaluation of these health risks of a spill, nor has there been a thorough environmental risk assessment, writes Elizabeth May. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Governments unprepared for risks of a dilbit spill in western waters

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | June 27, 2024
  • I can lament the failure of the B.C. NDP and the federal Liberals to keep their promises, while praying that the likely spills will

Governments unprepared for risks of a dilbit spill in western waters

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | June 27, 2024
  • I can lament the failure of the B.C. NDP and the federal Liberals to keep their promises, while praying that the likely spills will
A rally against the Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion in Ottawa in 2018. There has been no evaluation of these health risks of a spill, nor has there been a thorough environmental risk assessment, writes Elizabeth May. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

How green was this budget?

  • Being better on climate policy than the Official Opposition is too low a bar for a confidence vote.
Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | April 22, 2024
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland pose with the 2024 budget. It's not possible to vote confidence in a government that never produced a cost-benefit analysis, much less a reliable environmental assessment before wasting $34-billion on a pipeline and tanker project, writes Green Party Leader Elizabeth May. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

How green was this budget?

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | April 22, 2024
  • Being better on climate policy than the Official Opposition is too low a bar for a confidence vote.

How green was this budget?

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | April 22, 2024
  • Being better on climate policy than the Official Opposition is too low a bar for a confidence vote.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland pose with the 2024 budget. It's not possible to vote confidence in a government that never produced a cost-benefit analysis, much less a reliable environmental assessment before wasting $34-billion on a pipeline and tanker project, writes Green Party Leader Elizabeth May. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Canada has all the resources and tools we need to benefit from a clean and green economy

  • We only lack the political will to remove jurisdictional obstacles that hold us back from ensuring that Canada’s electricity grid is smart and integrated.
Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | March 20, 2024
To be competitive, we need to be able to use our grid like a battery, and all Canadians should be encouraged to install renewable energy systems, writes Elizabeth May. Pexels photograph by Gustavo Fring

Canada has all the resources and tools we need to benefit from a clean and green economy

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | March 20, 2024
  • We only lack the political will to remove jurisdictional obstacles that hold us back from ensuring that Canada’s electricity grid is smart and integrated.

Canada has all the resources and tools we need to benefit from a clean and green economy

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | March 20, 2024
  • We only lack the political will to remove jurisdictional obstacles that hold us back from ensuring that Canada’s electricity grid is smart and integrated.
To be competitive, we need to be able to use our grid like a battery, and all Canadians should be encouraged to install renewable energy systems, writes Elizabeth May. Pexels photograph by Gustavo Fring

Corporations are not empowered by law to ignore the environment

  • Surprisingly, the whole notion that the primary obligation of directors is to shareholders is a relatively new idea.
Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | February 5, 2024
Next time a CEO says climate is not their business, someone should give their board of directors a refresher on Canadian law, writes Green Party Leader Elizabeth May. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright

Corporations are not empowered by law to ignore the environment

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | February 5, 2024
  • Surprisingly, the whole notion that the primary obligation of directors is to shareholders is a relatively new idea.

Corporations are not empowered by law to ignore the environment

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | February 5, 2024
  • Surprisingly, the whole notion that the primary obligation of directors is to shareholders is a relatively new idea.
Next time a CEO says climate is not their business, someone should give their board of directors a refresher on Canadian law, writes Green Party Leader Elizabeth May. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright

We need to know all the facts about Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s assassination

  • Those responsible must be brought to justice. So, too, must those in security agencies who undermine our intelligence services through leaks to media.
Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | September 25, 2023
Green Party Leader Elizabeth May writes that last week's events make it even more urgent that leakers in the intelligence services be found and sanctioned. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

We need to know all the facts about Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s assassination

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | September 25, 2023
  • Those responsible must be brought to justice. So, too, must those in security agencies who undermine our intelligence services through leaks to media.

We need to know all the facts about Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s assassination

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | September 25, 2023
  • Those responsible must be brought to justice. So, too, must those in security agencies who undermine our intelligence services through leaks to media.
Green Party Leader Elizabeth May writes that last week's events make it even more urgent that leakers in the intelligence services be found and sanctioned. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Can we set aside ‘Group Think’ long enough to fix environmental assessment in Canada?

  • I have often wondered when we stopped thinking. In 2016, when Liberals approved the Kinder Morgan pipeline, I looked in vain for any cost-benefit
Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | May 23, 2022
A long-time advocate for protecting the environment, Green Party Parliamentary leader Elizabeth May says a massive reboot of federal environmental protection laws is long overdue. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Can we set aside ‘Group Think’ long enough to fix environmental assessment in Canada?

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | May 23, 2022
  • I have often wondered when we stopped thinking. In 2016, when Liberals approved the Kinder Morgan pipeline, I looked in vain for any cost-benefit

Can we set aside ‘Group Think’ long enough to fix environmental assessment in Canada?

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | May 23, 2022
  • I have often wondered when we stopped thinking. In 2016, when Liberals approved the Kinder Morgan pipeline, I looked in vain for any cost-benefit
A long-time advocate for protecting the environment, Green Party Parliamentary leader Elizabeth May says a massive reboot of federal environmental protection laws is long overdue. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Public transit in crisis

  • Greens have long called for significant investments in public transit. The reasons are obvious. Transportation, movement of goods and people, is a huge chunk
Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | November 12, 2020
In 2016, a very disturbing recommendation was made by the Canada Transportation Act Review, chaired by David Emerson, pictured. Among many recommendations was the proposal to eliminate VIA Rail’s transcontinental lines, reducing service to only the Windsor-Quebec corridor. No modern society should kill its passenger rail service, Photograph courtesy of Commons Wikimedia

Public transit in crisis

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | November 12, 2020
  • Greens have long called for significant investments in public transit. The reasons are obvious. Transportation, movement of goods and people, is a huge chunk

Public transit in crisis

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | November 12, 2020
  • Greens have long called for significant investments in public transit. The reasons are obvious. Transportation, movement of goods and people, is a huge chunk
In 2016, a very disturbing recommendation was made by the Canada Transportation Act Review, chaired by David Emerson, pictured. Among many recommendations was the proposal to eliminate VIA Rail’s transcontinental lines, reducing service to only the Windsor-Quebec corridor. No modern society should kill its passenger rail service, Photograph courtesy of Commons Wikimedia

Canada is going in the wrong direction fighting climate change

  • SAANICH GULF ISLANDS, B.C.—In the midst of a pandemic, it is hard to keep a focus on anything else. When overlaying that pandemic, south
Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | June 8, 2020
Canada has lavished at least C$13.8-billion per year in public financing on oil and gas projects since signing onto the Paris Climate Agreement, making it the fossil industry’s highest per capita source of public finance in the G20, and their second-largest overall benefactor after China, according to a blistering new report issued today The Hill Times file photograph by Jake Wright

Canada is going in the wrong direction fighting climate change

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | June 8, 2020
  • SAANICH GULF ISLANDS, B.C.—In the midst of a pandemic, it is hard to keep a focus on anything else. When overlaying that pandemic, south

Canada is going in the wrong direction fighting climate change

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | June 8, 2020
  • SAANICH GULF ISLANDS, B.C.—In the midst of a pandemic, it is hard to keep a focus on anything else. When overlaying that pandemic, south
Canada has lavished at least C$13.8-billion per year in public financing on oil and gas projects since signing onto the Paris Climate Agreement, making it the fossil industry’s highest per capita source of public finance in the G20, and their second-largest overall benefactor after China, according to a blistering new report issued today The Hill Times file photograph by Jake Wright

When Canada knew how to lead on the environment

  • This is Environment Week in Canada. It was created decades ago by an act of Parliament to raise awareness and support environmental action. The
Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | June 5, 2019
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau signs the Paris Agreement in in New York in 2016. As a country with one of the highest per capita carbon footprints in the world, Canada should be shooting for greater emissions reductions targets, writes Elizabeth May. United Nations photograph by Amanda Voisard

When Canada knew how to lead on the environment

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | June 5, 2019
  • This is Environment Week in Canada. It was created decades ago by an act of Parliament to raise awareness and support environmental action. The

When Canada knew how to lead on the environment

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | June 5, 2019
  • This is Environment Week in Canada. It was created decades ago by an act of Parliament to raise awareness and support environmental action. The
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau signs the Paris Agreement in in New York in 2016. As a country with one of the highest per capita carbon footprints in the world, Canada should be shooting for greater emissions reductions targets, writes Elizabeth May. United Nations photograph by Amanda Voisard

A tale of two aircraft sales

  • In the wake of the horrific crash of the Ethiopian Air flight on March 10, killing all 157 persons on board, questions have been
Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | April 1, 2019
Transport Minister Marc Garneau, pictured March 13, 2019, at the National Press Theatre in Ottawa when he announced the grounding of Boeing 737- Max 8 aircraft in Canadian airspace. Green Party Leader Elizabeth May wants to know if Canadian aviation safety is at all vulnerable to the risks of captive regulators. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

A tale of two aircraft sales

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | April 1, 2019
  • In the wake of the horrific crash of the Ethiopian Air flight on March 10, killing all 157 persons on board, questions have been

A tale of two aircraft sales

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | April 1, 2019
  • In the wake of the horrific crash of the Ethiopian Air flight on March 10, killing all 157 persons on board, questions have been
Transport Minister Marc Garneau, pictured March 13, 2019, at the National Press Theatre in Ottawa when he announced the grounding of Boeing 737- Max 8 aircraft in Canadian airspace. Green Party Leader Elizabeth May wants to know if Canadian aviation safety is at all vulnerable to the risks of captive regulators. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

It’s not a matter of if we move to a green economy, it’s a matter of how fast can we get there

  • I have been reading and writing articles about the green economy for decades. We have all the positive good news buzz of more jobs
Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | March 25, 2019
As Greta Thunberg said at COP24, if all the 'happy clappy' news worked, we would not be in this desperate state of climate emergency, writes Elizabeth May. Photograph courtesy Wikipedia

It’s not a matter of if we move to a green economy, it’s a matter of how fast can we get there

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | March 25, 2019
  • I have been reading and writing articles about the green economy for decades. We have all the positive good news buzz of more jobs

It’s not a matter of if we move to a green economy, it’s a matter of how fast can we get there

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | March 25, 2019
  • I have been reading and writing articles about the green economy for decades. We have all the positive good news buzz of more jobs
As Greta Thunberg said at COP24, if all the 'happy clappy' news worked, we would not be in this desperate state of climate emergency, writes Elizabeth May. Photograph courtesy Wikipedia

We are having the wrong conversation, we are in a climate emergency

  • We are in a climate emergency and we are doing nothing substantive or effective to confront it. Within Parliament and media circles, we ignore
Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | March 11, 2019
We are in a climate emergency and we are doing nothing substantive or effective to confront it, writes Green Party Leader Elizabeth May. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

We are having the wrong conversation, we are in a climate emergency

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | March 11, 2019
  • We are in a climate emergency and we are doing nothing substantive or effective to confront it. Within Parliament and media circles, we ignore

We are having the wrong conversation, we are in a climate emergency

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | March 11, 2019
  • We are in a climate emergency and we are doing nothing substantive or effective to confront it. Within Parliament and media circles, we ignore
We are in a climate emergency and we are doing nothing substantive or effective to confront it, writes Green Party Leader Elizabeth May. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

We are in a climate emergency

  • We are in a climate emergency. The debate is no longer about how we can reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It is: how do
Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | February 25, 2019
Transport Minister Marc Garneau, pictured recently on the Hill. Most of the infrastructure dollars in federal spending has been focused on inner-city public transit. Those dollars are very welcome—and more is needed to ensure urban dwellers can commute without using a personal vehicle, writes Green Party Leader Elizabeth May. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

We are in a climate emergency

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | February 25, 2019
  • We are in a climate emergency. The debate is no longer about how we can reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It is: how do

We are in a climate emergency

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | February 25, 2019
  • We are in a climate emergency. The debate is no longer about how we can reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It is: how do
Transport Minister Marc Garneau, pictured recently on the Hill. Most of the infrastructure dollars in federal spending has been focused on inner-city public transit. Those dollars are very welcome—and more is needed to ensure urban dwellers can commute without using a personal vehicle, writes Green Party Leader Elizabeth May. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Climate change is a health emergency

  • The recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) special report on 1.5 degrees warned that failing to reach Paris targets would cause health crises
Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | February 4, 2019
One surprising health challenge from heat waves is that our hospitals do not have sufficient air conditioning capacity to keep the hospitals within an acceptable range of temperatures for safe surgeries, writes Green Party Leader Elizabeth May. Photograph courtesy of Pixabay

Climate change is a health emergency

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | February 4, 2019
  • The recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) special report on 1.5 degrees warned that failing to reach Paris targets would cause health crises

Climate change is a health emergency

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | February 4, 2019
  • The recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) special report on 1.5 degrees warned that failing to reach Paris targets would cause health crises
One surprising health challenge from heat waves is that our hospitals do not have sufficient air conditioning capacity to keep the hospitals within an acceptable range of temperatures for safe surgeries, writes Green Party Leader Elizabeth May. Photograph courtesy of Pixabay

Natural Resources Canada has evolved into the Department of Oil and Gas

  • A few decades ago, the department now known as Natural Resources Canada was called Energy, Mines, and Resources. The department had robust analysis and
Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | December 12, 2018
Environment Minister Catherine McKenna ignored the advice of an expert panel of environmental assessments before tabling the impact assessment bill, C-69, writes Elizabeth May. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Natural Resources Canada has evolved into the Department of Oil and Gas

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | December 12, 2018
  • A few decades ago, the department now known as Natural Resources Canada was called Energy, Mines, and Resources. The department had robust analysis and

Natural Resources Canada has evolved into the Department of Oil and Gas

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | December 12, 2018
  • A few decades ago, the department now known as Natural Resources Canada was called Energy, Mines, and Resources. The department had robust analysis and
Environment Minister Catherine McKenna ignored the advice of an expert panel of environmental assessments before tabling the impact assessment bill, C-69, writes Elizabeth May. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The climate emergency requires extraordinary measures

  • As any observer of the energy scene can confirm, renewable energy is providing an increasingly large portion of our energy needs. Photovoltaic solar panels
Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | December 3, 2018
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured recently on the Hill. 'The political party system works against courage. We need less hyper-partisanship and more collaboration. We need courageous, societal government; the kind of government in Canada, and the U.K., that confronted Hitler and won,' Green Party Leader Elizabeth May. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The climate emergency requires extraordinary measures

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | December 3, 2018
  • As any observer of the energy scene can confirm, renewable energy is providing an increasingly large portion of our energy needs. Photovoltaic solar panels

The climate emergency requires extraordinary measures

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | December 3, 2018
  • As any observer of the energy scene can confirm, renewable energy is providing an increasingly large portion of our energy needs. Photovoltaic solar panels
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured recently on the Hill. 'The political party system works against courage. We need less hyper-partisanship and more collaboration. We need courageous, societal government; the kind of government in Canada, and the U.K., that confronted Hitler and won,' Green Party Leader Elizabeth May. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Why is Health Canada thwarting Parliament’s will?

  • The problem of regulators becoming captives of the regulated is not new. It’s the idea that a regulator is basically an instrument of the
Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | November 14, 2018
Former MP Terence Young’s daughter Vanessa died in 2000 at the age of 15 after suffering complications while taking the prescribed drug Prepulsid for minor indigestion issues. The drug has since been taken off the market. The Hill Times photograph by Cynthia Münster

Why is Health Canada thwarting Parliament’s will?

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | November 14, 2018
  • The problem of regulators becoming captives of the regulated is not new. It’s the idea that a regulator is basically an instrument of the

Why is Health Canada thwarting Parliament’s will?

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | November 14, 2018
  • The problem of regulators becoming captives of the regulated is not new. It’s the idea that a regulator is basically an instrument of the
Former MP Terence Young’s daughter Vanessa died in 2000 at the age of 15 after suffering complications while taking the prescribed drug Prepulsid for minor indigestion issues. The drug has since been taken off the market. The Hill Times photograph by Cynthia Münster

Agriculture is not immune from the coming climate crisis

  • On Oct. 15, 2018, the House of Commons held an emergency debate about the IPCC report warning that humanity has—at most—10 to 12 years
Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | November 5, 2018
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured recently on the Hill. Green Party Leader Elizabeth May is urging the prime minister to ratchet up efforts to fight climate change. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Agriculture is not immune from the coming climate crisis

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | November 5, 2018
  • On Oct. 15, 2018, the House of Commons held an emergency debate about the IPCC report warning that humanity has—at most—10 to 12 years

Agriculture is not immune from the coming climate crisis

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | November 5, 2018
  • On Oct. 15, 2018, the House of Commons held an emergency debate about the IPCC report warning that humanity has—at most—10 to 12 years
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured recently on the Hill. Green Party Leader Elizabeth May is urging the prime minister to ratchet up efforts to fight climate change. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

We must act now to maintain an Arctic able to keep global climate liveable

  • Human civilization, indeed the evolution of human beings as a species, has depended on a frozen Arctic. But the North Pole as a frozen
Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | October 31, 2018
Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami president Natan Obed told a global climate summit last year about global temperature increases: '1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels is not only ambitious, but necessary for the survival of our people.' The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

We must act now to maintain an Arctic able to keep global climate liveable

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | October 31, 2018
  • Human civilization, indeed the evolution of human beings as a species, has depended on a frozen Arctic. But the North Pole as a frozen

We must act now to maintain an Arctic able to keep global climate liveable

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | October 31, 2018
  • Human civilization, indeed the evolution of human beings as a species, has depended on a frozen Arctic. But the North Pole as a frozen
Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami president Natan Obed told a global climate summit last year about global temperature increases: '1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels is not only ambitious, but necessary for the survival of our people.' The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Clean-tech innovation: why are there still barriers?

  • The government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been positioning itself as promoting clean growth and innovation. The “superclusters” may prove to be very
Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | October 1, 2018
It's time for banks and other institutions to stop being cheerleaders for new fossil fuel infrastructure, such as pipelines, while throwing up roadblocks to clean-tech innovation, writes Green Party Leader Elizabeth May. Photograph courtesy of Flickr/Maureen

Clean-tech innovation: why are there still barriers?

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | October 1, 2018
  • The government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been positioning itself as promoting clean growth and innovation. The “superclusters” may prove to be very

Clean-tech innovation: why are there still barriers?

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | October 1, 2018
  • The government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been positioning itself as promoting clean growth and innovation. The “superclusters” may prove to be very
It's time for banks and other institutions to stop being cheerleaders for new fossil fuel infrastructure, such as pipelines, while throwing up roadblocks to clean-tech innovation, writes Green Party Leader Elizabeth May. Photograph courtesy of Flickr/Maureen

The real perils of biotech

  • The public discussion about genetically modified organisms (GMOs) almost invariably focuses on bitter disputes about the safety of GMO crops. While many argue that the
Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | September 26, 2018
Early research suggested risks to the health of dairy cows if the GMO product bovine growth hormone was used in herds, writes Green Party Leader Elizabeth May. When it comes to GMOs, her party supports the precautionary principle. Photograph courtesy of Wilson Hui

The real perils of biotech

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | September 26, 2018
  • The public discussion about genetically modified organisms (GMOs) almost invariably focuses on bitter disputes about the safety of GMO crops. While many argue that the

The real perils of biotech

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | September 26, 2018
  • The public discussion about genetically modified organisms (GMOs) almost invariably focuses on bitter disputes about the safety of GMO crops. While many argue that the
Early research suggested risks to the health of dairy cows if the GMO product bovine growth hormone was used in herds, writes Green Party Leader Elizabeth May. When it comes to GMOs, her party supports the precautionary principle. Photograph courtesy of Wilson Hui

We need energy infrastructure in the national interest

  • In choosing which nation building energy projects should receive government support, ideally we should begin by developing a consensus on shared goals. We should
Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | August 13, 2018
People, pictured in Burnaby, B.C., on April 7, 2018, protesting the Kinder Morgan pipeline. The Kinder Morgan expansion takes us in the wrong direction on climate goals. It is 100 per cent for export of unprocessed material, so it also goes the wrong direction on productivity. By exporting an additional 590,000 barrels of unprocessed bitumen a day, it does not shlep our energy security either, writes Green Party Leader Elizabeth May. Photograph courtesy of Flickr

We need energy infrastructure in the national interest

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | August 13, 2018
  • In choosing which nation building energy projects should receive government support, ideally we should begin by developing a consensus on shared goals. We should

We need energy infrastructure in the national interest

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | August 13, 2018
  • In choosing which nation building energy projects should receive government support, ideally we should begin by developing a consensus on shared goals. We should
People, pictured in Burnaby, B.C., on April 7, 2018, protesting the Kinder Morgan pipeline. The Kinder Morgan expansion takes us in the wrong direction on climate goals. It is 100 per cent for export of unprocessed material, so it also goes the wrong direction on productivity. By exporting an additional 590,000 barrels of unprocessed bitumen a day, it does not shlep our energy security either, writes Green Party Leader Elizabeth May. Photograph courtesy of Flickr

Why we should be pulling out all the stops to expand renewable energy

  • It is time to face some hard facts about the climate crisis. The Paris target is not a politically derived imaginary number without consequences.
Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | July 16, 2018
Green Party Leader Elizabeth May, pictured May 22, 2018, at a rally to urge the government to stop the Kinder Morgan bailout. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Why we should be pulling out all the stops to expand renewable energy

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | July 16, 2018
  • It is time to face some hard facts about the climate crisis. The Paris target is not a politically derived imaginary number without consequences.

Why we should be pulling out all the stops to expand renewable energy

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | July 16, 2018
  • It is time to face some hard facts about the climate crisis. The Paris target is not a politically derived imaginary number without consequences.
Green Party Leader Elizabeth May, pictured May 22, 2018, at a rally to urge the government to stop the Kinder Morgan bailout. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Can Liberals meet the challenge of UNDRIP?

  • On May 30, a historic bill received its final approval in the House. It was particularly exceptional in that it was a private member’s
Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | June 18, 2018
NDP MP Romeo Saganash, pictured March 20, at the House Affairs Committee. The Hill Times photograph Andrew Meade

Can Liberals meet the challenge of UNDRIP?

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | June 18, 2018
  • On May 30, a historic bill received its final approval in the House. It was particularly exceptional in that it was a private member’s

Can Liberals meet the challenge of UNDRIP?

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | June 18, 2018
  • On May 30, a historic bill received its final approval in the House. It was particularly exceptional in that it was a private member’s
NDP MP Romeo Saganash, pictured March 20, at the House Affairs Committee. The Hill Times photograph Andrew Meade

The difference between a plan and a wish list

  • I represent an unusually engaged electoral district. Voters in Saanich-Gulf Islands, B.C., are well-informed and active. Among my constituents is an impressive group of
Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | June 13, 2018
'We’ve had several plans in the past and yet our emissions keep rising, we do not hit targets, and we’re not ready to adapt to a changing climate,' environment commissioner Julie Gelfand said earlier this year. 'We are ever hopeful—but it is, at this point, a plan, and we need to see details.' The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The difference between a plan and a wish list

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | June 13, 2018
  • I represent an unusually engaged electoral district. Voters in Saanich-Gulf Islands, B.C., are well-informed and active. Among my constituents is an impressive group of

The difference between a plan and a wish list

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | June 13, 2018
  • I represent an unusually engaged electoral district. Voters in Saanich-Gulf Islands, B.C., are well-informed and active. Among my constituents is an impressive group of
'We’ve had several plans in the past and yet our emissions keep rising, we do not hit targets, and we’re not ready to adapt to a changing climate,' environment commissioner Julie Gelfand said earlier this year. 'We are ever hopeful—but it is, at this point, a plan, and we need to see details.' The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Trans Mountain pipeline myth-busting, of a different sort

  • PARLIAMENT HILL—In last week’s Hill Times online, Colleen Collins of the Canada West Foundation promised to bust myths about Kinder Morgan. Instead, she gave
Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | May 30, 2018
Green Party leader Elizabeth May, activists, and NDP MPs gather on the steps of Parliament Hill for a rally to urge the government to stop its offer of Trans Mountain pipeline financial support on May 22. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Trans Mountain pipeline myth-busting, of a different sort

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | May 30, 2018
  • PARLIAMENT HILL—In last week’s Hill Times online, Colleen Collins of the Canada West Foundation promised to bust myths about Kinder Morgan. Instead, she gave

Trans Mountain pipeline myth-busting, of a different sort

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | May 30, 2018
  • PARLIAMENT HILL—In last week’s Hill Times online, Colleen Collins of the Canada West Foundation promised to bust myths about Kinder Morgan. Instead, she gave
Green Party leader Elizabeth May, activists, and NDP MPs gather on the steps of Parliament Hill for a rally to urge the government to stop its offer of Trans Mountain pipeline financial support on May 22. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

What kind of Arctic do we need for the world to remain liveable?

  • The evolution of human beings as a species has depended on a frozen Arctic. But the North Pole as a frozen ice cap on
Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | May 16, 2018
Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami president Natan Obed, pictured in 2016, said last November about climate change: ‘One and a half degrees above pre-industrial levels is not only ambitious, but necessary for the survival of our people.’ The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

What kind of Arctic do we need for the world to remain liveable?

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | May 16, 2018
  • The evolution of human beings as a species has depended on a frozen Arctic. But the North Pole as a frozen ice cap on

What kind of Arctic do we need for the world to remain liveable?

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | May 16, 2018
  • The evolution of human beings as a species has depended on a frozen Arctic. But the North Pole as a frozen ice cap on
Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami president Natan Obed, pictured in 2016, said last November about climate change: ‘One and a half degrees above pre-industrial levels is not only ambitious, but necessary for the survival of our people.’ The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia
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Must cannabis be grown in Fort Knox?

  • As the first federal party in Canada to advocate for an end to the futile and counter-productive prohibition policy towards cannabis, the Green Party
Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | January 22, 2018
The problem is that growing cannabis indoors, in addition to being unnecessary, imposes a rather large climate impact. An astonishing amount of water and energy are required to grow cannabis indoors, writes Green Party leader Elizabeth May. The Hill Times file photographi

Must cannabis be grown in Fort Knox?

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | January 22, 2018
  • As the first federal party in Canada to advocate for an end to the futile and counter-productive prohibition policy towards cannabis, the Green Party

Must cannabis be grown in Fort Knox?

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | January 22, 2018
  • As the first federal party in Canada to advocate for an end to the futile and counter-productive prohibition policy towards cannabis, the Green Party
The problem is that growing cannabis indoors, in addition to being unnecessary, imposes a rather large climate impact. An astonishing amount of water and energy are required to grow cannabis indoors, writes Green Party leader Elizabeth May. The Hill Times file photographi

Can Trump really undo NAFTA on a whim?

  • I am not losing sleep about the threats to NAFTA from the United States administration. There are serious questions about whether U.S. President Donald
Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | January 17, 2018
In his bid to put ‘America First,’ U.S. President Donald Trump has pledged to pull out of NAFTA if he doesn’t like the renegotiated terms. But, Elizabeth May writes, he may not have the power to do so unilaterally. Department of Homeland Security photo via Barry Bahler

Can Trump really undo NAFTA on a whim?

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | January 17, 2018
  • I am not losing sleep about the threats to NAFTA from the United States administration. There are serious questions about whether U.S. President Donald

Can Trump really undo NAFTA on a whim?

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | January 17, 2018
  • I am not losing sleep about the threats to NAFTA from the United States administration. There are serious questions about whether U.S. President Donald
In his bid to put ‘America First,’ U.S. President Donald Trump has pledged to pull out of NAFTA if he doesn’t like the renegotiated terms. But, Elizabeth May writes, he may not have the power to do so unilaterally. Department of Homeland Security photo via Barry Bahler

The Liberals’ climate plan? A chocolate cake diet

  • Let’s get the obvious out of the way: the Trudeau administration is better than the Conservatives under Stephen Harper on environmental policy. But that
Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | June 7, 2017
A Kinder Morgan pipeline protest near Parliament Hill in November, 2016. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

The Liberals’ climate plan? A chocolate cake diet

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | June 7, 2017
  • Let’s get the obvious out of the way: the Trudeau administration is better than the Conservatives under Stephen Harper on environmental policy. But that

The Liberals’ climate plan? A chocolate cake diet

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | June 7, 2017
  • Let’s get the obvious out of the way: the Trudeau administration is better than the Conservatives under Stephen Harper on environmental policy. But that
A Kinder Morgan pipeline protest near Parliament Hill in November, 2016. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

What we still don’t know about Liberal infrastructure plans

  • There is no doubt that enormous investments are required in public infrastructure. The deferred maintenance over decades to save dollars in the short term
Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | April 12, 2017
Electric vehicles are parked in front of the Parliament Buildings for Parliamentarians to check out during a demonstration day in 2013. Elizabeth May says Canada needs a new network of charging stations for what she says is a coming revolution in electric vehicles. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright

What we still don’t know about Liberal infrastructure plans

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | April 12, 2017
  • There is no doubt that enormous investments are required in public infrastructure. The deferred maintenance over decades to save dollars in the short term

What we still don’t know about Liberal infrastructure plans

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | April 12, 2017
  • There is no doubt that enormous investments are required in public infrastructure. The deferred maintenance over decades to save dollars in the short term
Electric vehicles are parked in front of the Parliament Buildings for Parliamentarians to check out during a demonstration day in 2013. Elizabeth May says Canada needs a new network of charging stations for what she says is a coming revolution in electric vehicles. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright

Canada’s innovation agenda: can moonshots work?

  • “Productivity isn’t everything, but in the long run it is almost everything.” —Paul Krugman, The Age of Diminishing Expectations (1994) It is not worth
Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | February 8, 2017
We should also heed the warnings of famed Canadian businessman Jim Balsillie, pictured, and ensure our intellectual property protections are up to scratch, writes Elizabeth May. Photograph courtesy AtelMedia Technologies

Canada’s innovation agenda: can moonshots work?

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | February 8, 2017
  • “Productivity isn’t everything, but in the long run it is almost everything.” —Paul Krugman, The Age of Diminishing Expectations (1994) It is not worth

Canada’s innovation agenda: can moonshots work?

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | February 8, 2017
  • “Productivity isn’t everything, but in the long run it is almost everything.” —Paul Krugman, The Age of Diminishing Expectations (1994) It is not worth
We should also heed the warnings of famed Canadian businessman Jim Balsillie, pictured, and ensure our intellectual property protections are up to scratch, writes Elizabeth May. Photograph courtesy AtelMedia Technologies

We need a return to funding basic research

  • It was in the spring 2012 budget that the previous Conservative government established the primacy of utilitarian, mercantile science over basic research and pure
Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | November 23, 2016
Great scientists, like Albert Einstein, left, and Alexander Graham Bell, tend to be interested in the world of the mind, not how to mine the world, writes Elizabeth May. Orren Jack Turner photo courtesy of Library of Congress, Moffett Studio photo courtesy of Library and Archives Canada

We need a return to funding basic research

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | November 23, 2016
  • It was in the spring 2012 budget that the previous Conservative government established the primacy of utilitarian, mercantile science over basic research and pure

We need a return to funding basic research

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | November 23, 2016
  • It was in the spring 2012 budget that the previous Conservative government established the primacy of utilitarian, mercantile science over basic research and pure
Great scientists, like Albert Einstein, left, and Alexander Graham Bell, tend to be interested in the world of the mind, not how to mine the world, writes Elizabeth May. Orren Jack Turner photo courtesy of Library of Congress, Moffett Studio photo courtesy of Library and Archives Canada

The Arctic is the planet’s canary

  • In the early days of the Industrial Revolution, before the advent of equipment capable of monitoring the build-up of dangerous gases, miners would take
Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | July 20, 2016
Multi-year ice in the Arctic is harder to find, writes Elizabeth May, and the extent of the ice cover is shrinking. NASA photograph by Kathryn Hansen

The Arctic is the planet’s canary

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | July 20, 2016
  • In the early days of the Industrial Revolution, before the advent of equipment capable of monitoring the build-up of dangerous gases, miners would take

The Arctic is the planet’s canary

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | July 20, 2016
  • In the early days of the Industrial Revolution, before the advent of equipment capable of monitoring the build-up of dangerous gases, miners would take
Multi-year ice in the Arctic is harder to find, writes Elizabeth May, and the extent of the ice cover is shrinking. NASA photograph by Kathryn Hansen

What to expect when the neighbours come to town

  • It says a lot about Canada’s relations under the previous Conservative government that the annual meeting with our NAFTA partners was delayed by a
Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | June 22, 2016
The North American Commission on Environmental Cooperation did a lot of good work in its first years, including to help monarch butterfly recovery, argues Elizabeth May. It's time to get back to that good work. Flickr photograph by Conal Gallagher

What to expect when the neighbours come to town

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | June 22, 2016
  • It says a lot about Canada’s relations under the previous Conservative government that the annual meeting with our NAFTA partners was delayed by a

What to expect when the neighbours come to town

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | June 22, 2016
  • It says a lot about Canada’s relations under the previous Conservative government that the annual meeting with our NAFTA partners was delayed by a
The North American Commission on Environmental Cooperation did a lot of good work in its first years, including to help monarch butterfly recovery, argues Elizabeth May. It's time to get back to that good work. Flickr photograph by Conal Gallagher

After a lost decade, it’s time to ratchet up our target

  • The context of our current challenge in the intertwined imperative for both a strong climate and energy strategy is embedded in former prime minister
Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | June 15, 2016
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau signs the Paris Agreement on April 22 at the United Nations in New York. UN photo by Amanda Voisard

After a lost decade, it’s time to ratchet up our target

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | June 15, 2016
  • The context of our current challenge in the intertwined imperative for both a strong climate and energy strategy is embedded in former prime minister

After a lost decade, it’s time to ratchet up our target

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | June 15, 2016
  • The context of our current challenge in the intertwined imperative for both a strong climate and energy strategy is embedded in former prime minister
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau signs the Paris Agreement on April 22 at the United Nations in New York. UN photo by Amanda Voisard

Where are seniors on the Trudeau agenda?

  • It is not immediately obvious. We no longer have a minister for seniors, but we never had a department for seniors issues anyway. Crafting
Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | June 6, 2016
Minister of Families Children and Social Development Jean-Yves Duclos and Health Minister Jane Philpott share responsibilities for Canada's aging society. The Hill Times photographs by Jake Wright

Where are seniors on the Trudeau agenda?

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | June 6, 2016
  • It is not immediately obvious. We no longer have a minister for seniors, but we never had a department for seniors issues anyway. Crafting

Where are seniors on the Trudeau agenda?

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | June 6, 2016
  • It is not immediately obvious. We no longer have a minister for seniors, but we never had a department for seniors issues anyway. Crafting
Minister of Families Children and Social Development Jean-Yves Duclos and Health Minister Jane Philpott share responsibilities for Canada's aging society. The Hill Times photographs by Jake Wright

Replacing F-18s is still the elephant in the room

  • Sitting late on Monday night May 16, the House, assembled as a Committee of the Whole, met to review defence spending. Minister of Defence
Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | May 23, 2016
Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan. Canada needs to move ahead in the purchase of ice-breakers, fixed-wing search and rescue aircraft and Canadian Coast Guard vessels, writes Elizabeth May. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright

Replacing F-18s is still the elephant in the room

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | May 23, 2016
  • Sitting late on Monday night May 16, the House, assembled as a Committee of the Whole, met to review defence spending. Minister of Defence

Replacing F-18s is still the elephant in the room

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | May 23, 2016
  • Sitting late on Monday night May 16, the House, assembled as a Committee of the Whole, met to review defence spending. Minister of Defence
Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan. Canada needs to move ahead in the purchase of ice-breakers, fixed-wing search and rescue aircraft and Canadian Coast Guard vessels, writes Elizabeth May. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright

How bad can the TPP be?

  • There are several layers of offences in the thousands of pages of the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement. Some are embedded in the inferior bargaining positions
Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | May 18, 2016

How bad can the TPP be?

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | May 18, 2016
  • There are several layers of offences in the thousands of pages of the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement. Some are embedded in the inferior bargaining positions

How bad can the TPP be?

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | May 18, 2016
  • There are several layers of offences in the thousands of pages of the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement. Some are embedded in the inferior bargaining positions

Health minister faces many challenges

  • It is a good thing that the new health minister is a medical doctor. It is not so much for her medical knowledge as
Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | May 9, 2016
Health Minister Jane Philpott's mandate letter is a catalogue of serious challenges, writes Elizabeth May. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright

Health minister faces many challenges

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | May 9, 2016
  • It is a good thing that the new health minister is a medical doctor. It is not so much for her medical knowledge as

Health minister faces many challenges

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | May 9, 2016
  • It is a good thing that the new health minister is a medical doctor. It is not so much for her medical knowledge as
Health Minister Jane Philpott's mandate letter is a catalogue of serious challenges, writes Elizabeth May. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright

Repealing C-51: an essential step in public safety and security

  • It is one of the stickier aspects of former prime minister Stephen Harper’s omnibus-bill strategy: legislation rammed through Parliament as omnibus bills are harder
Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | May 4, 2016
RCMP Commissioner Bob Paulson, left and CSIS director Michel Coulombe greet a committee member on March 30, 2015, the day they appeared before the Senate Defence and Security Committee on Bill C-51. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright

Repealing C-51: an essential step in public safety and security

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | May 4, 2016
  • It is one of the stickier aspects of former prime minister Stephen Harper’s omnibus-bill strategy: legislation rammed through Parliament as omnibus bills are harder

Repealing C-51: an essential step in public safety and security

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | May 4, 2016
  • It is one of the stickier aspects of former prime minister Stephen Harper’s omnibus-bill strategy: legislation rammed through Parliament as omnibus bills are harder
RCMP Commissioner Bob Paulson, left and CSIS director Michel Coulombe greet a committee member on March 30, 2015, the day they appeared before the Senate Defence and Security Committee on Bill C-51. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright

Why did the infrastructure commitment stall? WTF?

  • The Liberals’ election promises were clear. The way out of the economic stagnation of the last number of years lay in giving our country
Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | April 18, 2016

Why did the infrastructure commitment stall? WTF?

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | April 18, 2016
  • The Liberals’ election promises were clear. The way out of the economic stagnation of the last number of years lay in giving our country

Why did the infrastructure commitment stall? WTF?

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | April 18, 2016
  • The Liberals’ election promises were clear. The way out of the economic stagnation of the last number of years lay in giving our country

There is only one future economy, and it’s green

  • We can no longer discuss the economy in isolation from the climate crisis. Put bluntly, we have no economic future if we continue to
Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | March 21, 2016

There is only one future economy, and it’s green

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | March 21, 2016
  • We can no longer discuss the economy in isolation from the climate crisis. Put bluntly, we have no economic future if we continue to

There is only one future economy, and it’s green

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | March 21, 2016
  • We can no longer discuss the economy in isolation from the climate crisis. Put bluntly, we have no economic future if we continue to

Protecting Canada’s universal health-care system is job No. 1

  • There is a constellation of serious issues piling up on the desk of our new Health Minister, Jane Philpott. There’s how to legalize cannabis, while
Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | March 7, 2016

Protecting Canada’s universal health-care system is job No. 1

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | March 7, 2016
  • There is a constellation of serious issues piling up on the desk of our new Health Minister, Jane Philpott. There’s how to legalize cannabis, while

Protecting Canada’s universal health-care system is job No. 1

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | March 7, 2016
  • There is a constellation of serious issues piling up on the desk of our new Health Minister, Jane Philpott. There’s how to legalize cannabis, while

Time to ditch investor-state agreements

  • PARLIAMENT HILL—The door has opened for the first time in a long time to rid the world of the consistently perverse non-trade aspect of
Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | February 29, 2016

Time to ditch investor-state agreements

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | February 29, 2016
  • PARLIAMENT HILL—The door has opened for the first time in a long time to rid the world of the consistently perverse non-trade aspect of

Time to ditch investor-state agreements

Opinion | BY ELIZABETH MAY | February 29, 2016
  • PARLIAMENT HILL—The door has opened for the first time in a long time to rid the world of the consistently perverse non-trade aspect of

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