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Winter is Coming!
Honoured to be invited to speak at the first annual ‘Youth Summit for Human Rights’ at UBC last week. Pictured with me is Sharon Werner, who provided the Indigenous greeting.
Dear friends,
How are you doing? These times are challenging, world-wide, and many people I speak with are feeling a bit rattled, and anxious about what lies ahead in the coming year. A terrible war continues in Europe, climate change impacts are becoming more evident and destructive, and post-pandemic inflation is raising the price of household goods and costs of housing.
Our government understands and is working to provide some relief to those who need it the most. I’ve written you before to outline the package of planned new federal supports (such as affordable childcare or dental care for children) and one-time payments (for those who rent, for elders, and extra GST rebates), all of which are intended to help families of modest income afford their expenses.
Earlier this month, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Hon. Chrystia Freeland, released the 2022 Fall Economic Statement (FES) which outlines the help our government is offering, while also showing our economy’s relative strength. In recent good news, inflation has begun to recede, and Canada’s economy is doing well! Canada’s Triple-A credit rating is not surprising given our record low unemployment rate and strongest economic growth among the G-7 Nations. For those worried about Canada’s debt load stemming from generous federal COVID-19 supports for people, businesses and provinces, you may be relieved to know that Canada’s debt-to-GDP and deficit-to-GDP ratios are the lowest in the G-7.
In the FES link above, find out about measures such as the help planned for the students in your family, by permanently eliminating interest on their federal student (and apprentice) loans! Some FES benefits and payments have landed in recipients’ bank accounts already. We are very focused on moving legislation through the Parliamentary process, so the rest of the payments and benefits can be delivered this winter.
As one of GreenPac’s first MP awardees in 2015, I was recently invited to discuss Canada’s biodiversity protection initiatives at GreenPAC’s annual ‘Breakfast on the Hill’.Inquiry into the Emergencies Act
What started in late January as a weekend of planned protests against COVID-19 restrictions and other government mandates quickly evolved into a weeks-long illegal and disruptive occupation of downtown Ottawa, and the blockading of key Canada-U.S. border crossings. A number of blocks of Kent Street, including the location of the DFO office tower (and my office) were completely inaccessible by vehicle for weeks. A great number of Ottawa citizens and businesses were inconvenienced or harmed by the extended illegal occupation.
On February 14th Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked the Emergencies Act for the first time since it became law in 1988; this resulted in a speedy dispersal of the demonstrations and blockades. The current public inquiry into the use of the Emergencies Act was expected, as it is written into the act itself. The peaceful conclusion of the blockades, and the thoughtful Inquiry into measures taken to end it, are a testament to the strength of Canada’s democracy and its institutions.
Last month, I joined 20,000 people in Vancouver on the Lions Gate Bridge in solidarity with the people of Iran. Women’s rights are human rights, and no regime is above respecting them.
COP 15
In mid-December I’ll be travelling to Montreal to attend the COP 15 Biodiversity Conference. There I‘m looking forward to discussing ways the global community of nations can work together to protect and restore ocean biodiversity. Here at home, Canada’s Pacific, Arctic and Atlantic Ocean areas play an important role in our jobs, economies, food, culture, recreation, health – and in absorbing climate-heating greenhouse gases! Canada is a leader internationally on a number of ocean fronts: marine protected areas; partnership with indigenous communities in ocean science, safety and guardianship; and technological solutions for addressing illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, to name just a few examples.
Increasingly challenged by over-fishing, pollution and warming waters, the world’s oceans, which cover 70% of the earth’s surface, have been taken for granted for far too long. I look forward to the chance to work with – and learn from – other ocean nations so we can collectively advance work to protect and restore healthy, bio-diverse, and abundant ocean ecosystems. That is so critical, now – and for our future.
Parliamentary Secretary Mark Gerretsen MP (far right) attended on my behalf, the naming and launch of a brand-new Canadian Coast Guard light icebreaker. The ‘Judy Lamarsh’ is named after a great lawyer and parliamentarian, who in 1963 became Canada’s second-ever woman to break through and be appointed to the Federal Cabinet.
In case you missed it:
- “COP 27 has shown us that the world can achieve progress even during very challenging times.” From Minister Steven Guilbeault's Statement on the conclusion of COP 27.
- $250 million in support was announced this week for greening homes such as grants to help you swap out an oil-fired heater for a clean energy heat pump.
- DFO is combatting illegal fishing on the high seas; find out more in our Operation North Pacific Guard news release.
- The federal dental care benefit passed the final reading in the House of Commons, so this initiative – to ensure low-income children can afford to visit a dentist – is now on its way to the Senate.
- The speaker for my fall ‘MP Brunch Connections’, UBC Professor Kevin Milligan’s clear and understandable primer on Canada’s economic status, can be viewed on this website.
I’m excited to finally be hosting an in-person Town Hall, with three special guests sharing their insights on Climate Change and Canada’s Oceans, today at 1pm! Several people have mentioned they miss these gatherings, and they were such an enjoyable part of my work as your Member of Parliament, pre-pandemic. Hope you can join us for this discussion at Kitsilano Neighbourhood House from 1-3pm today.
Warm regards,
Joyce
The Hon. Joyce Murray, P.C., M.P.
Member of Parliament for Vancouver Quadra
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