politics – Planet Laurel

CKMS Meet The Candidate

Cambridge Greens: Vote Lux Burgess

“I’m running because my family’s future—and the future of all families—means everything to me. I want my loved ones to grow up in a world that’s safe, healthy, and full of opportunity. But with rising costs, and growing inequality, that future is at risk.

“I can’t just sit back and hope things get better—I want to be part of the solution. That’s why I’m fighting for real climate action, a fair economy, and stronger support for families.

“This isn’t just politics — it’s personal. It’s about protecting the people and places we love for generations to come.”
— Lux Burgess, 2025 Cambridge Green Party candidate

Even though time constraints prevented Lux from making it onto CKMS this time around, you can still catch his appearance in the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce Debate below. I especially like the fact that we’re *still* talking about #Electoral Reform. And that the lack of it inspires excellent candidates like Lux Burgess to seriously challenge complacent incumbents like MP Bryan May. https://luxburgess.ca/campaign/index.php/blog/

Hey Kitchener Centre: don’t forget to ReElect Mike Morrice!

If you haven’t already voted at one of the Advance Polls, do not forget Monday, April 28th, 2025 is ELECTION DAY 2025. Just because you know Mike Morrice is the best Member of Parliament Kitchener Centre has ever had, it is no reason to be complacent.

Not so long ago, an incumbent city councillor in this very community lost an election by a single vote. It wasn’t even that people felt it was tie for a change. It was that everyone expected her to be re-elected by a landslide, that her voters felt no real sense of urgency to get out and vote.

One vote is really the difference between winning and losing representation in countries still using terrible winner-take-all voting systems like ours. Don’t let your opportunity to vote slip away!

It took a very long time to get a local Green MP elected locally. Help make sure he is re-elected!

Like any Green MP, Mike doesn’t just represent the constituents in his own riding, he provides a vouce to otherwise disfranchised Greens across the country. I’m in Kitchener—Conestoga, yet he supported and presented my Petition e-4802 in Parliament. So even if you’re not exactly in Mike’e riding, there is still time to help out by volunteering or donating. Mike’s team will keep working as hard to re-elect Mike as Mike works for us in Ottawa until the very last minute. If getting to the polling station is a problem, you can even call the office and they’ll arrange transportation for you… no matter who you ‘re planning on voting for. And if you haven’t already, you can listen to Mike on CKMS radio:

Kitchener—Conestoga Greens

Unfortunately there was a hitch in our candidate’s registration, so we were unable to secure a Green candidate in Kitchener—Conestoga for this 2025 election.

Kitchener South—Hespeler: Vote Ethan Russell

Kitchener South—Hespeler candidate Ethan Russell will make another excellent Green MP for Waterloo Region. The photo above was taken just after Ethan’s CKMS “Meet The Candidate” spot, with show producer (and former Green Party candidate) Bob Jonkman. The air time time was made available to all Waterloo Region candidates, and it is interesting to see which did (or didn’t) show up.

Check out Ethan’s Green Party Page and, of course, listen to his CKMS broadcast here:

Waterloo Greens: Vote Simon Guthrie

We have yet another great Green Party candidate running in Waterloo.

And of course, check out Simon’s CKMS spot!

Find out more about Simon at https://www.simonguthrie.ca/

REMEMBER: Monday April 28th, 2025 is Election Day in Canada

While I would obviously like to see you cast your ballot for the Green Candidate in your riding, I sincerely hope you choose to vote for the candidate who will best represent you. Since my own riding is without a Green Candidate, after checking out the available candidates, I have decided my vote will go to for Bozorgzad, the excellent NDP candidate running in Kitchener—Conestoga.

Overall the opinion polls seem to indicate the Liberals are on track for another majority government. As far as I’m concerned, that would be an most unfortunate outcome. One of the many things wrong with what we call “strategic voting” these days (ie voting for a candidate you don’t want instead of the one you do), is that it helps prop up the First Past The Post two party Liberal/Conservative status quo.

We’re at a point where neither Liberal or Conservative governments can win a faux First Past The Post Majority Governments without all the vote suppression inspired by our Single Member Plurality voting system (which means a party doesn’t need to win a simple majority of the vote to win 100% of the power) and now also propped up by the pressure we unrepresented voters feel to vote “Strategically” for the least worst candidate. That’s not how representative democracy is supposed to work.

But it is the system Justin Trudeau chose over his own ERRE Committee’s recommendation to adopt a solidly Proportional Representation voting system. Because “fear voting” has made it possible for Liberal Governments to dominate our politics for so much of Canada’s history.

Strategic voting doesn’t do what they advertise. If it did, we only would have had to do it once. Giving one party a mandate it can’t earn from a majority of voters a majority of the power doesn’t result in a strong democratic government, the “strength” it produces is autocratic rule that polarizes us all. Even with our inadequate unrepresentative First Past The Post voting system, Canadians can get a lot closer to a representative Representative Democracy by voting for the independent candidates and small parties we actually want to vote for.

If we vote for what we want— regardless of the Opinion Polls, Op Eds and big money with which which defenders of the status quo successfully dominate our political discourse— the diverse Canadian electorate actually has the power to elect nothing but minority governments.

That means electing governments that will actually represent a majority of the voters. It will make governing a lot harder for our elected politicians because they will have to learn to work together instead of painting each other as the boogeyman, but it is the only way (short of Proportional Representation) we can achieve truly strong government supported by most Canadians.

I truly believe in democracy. I trust Canadians to do the right thing. And that starts with voting. And even better, voting for what we want.

Regards,
Laurel Russwurm
Kitchener—Conestoga Greens

Now you see it, now you don’t

Yesterday CBC reported on remarks made by Ahmed Hussen, Canada’s Minister of International Development at a Toronto fundraiser, indicating a resumption of UNWRA funding.

Today Minister Hussen’s press conference to provide an update on Canada’s humanitarian assistance (or lack thereof) in Gaza has been cancelled without explanation.

What are they playing at?

People are starving and dying in Gaza.

Even if they weren’t UNWRA’s mandate stretches far beyond Gaza.

I hope anyone who hasn’t will sign & share Petition e-4802 as widely as possible.

SIGN Petition e-4802: Restore UNRWA Funding

As I write this, at 8,563 signatures it needs only 438 signatures to reach 9,000!!! This is so important because the more signatures e-Petition 4802 receives, the more seriously the Government of Canada will take it, so please keep signing and sharing!

Thank you for your support!

Many thanks to everyone who signs and shares, helping to keep this terrible thing in the public eye.

(Special thanks to Lulu for the heads up on this story!)

Sign Petition e-4802

Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament assembled

Whereas:

• In 1949 the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) was established to carry out direct relief and works programs for Palestinian refugees.

• UNRWA is the primary provider of humanitarian aid: food, social services, healthcare, schools, refugee camps, and microfinance, sustaining the lives of millions of civilians, more than half of them children, in the Palestinian territory of Gaza, blockaded by Israel since 2007.

• South Africa submitted an Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip (South Africa v. Israel) to the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

• After considering both Application and oral arguments, the Court concluded genocide was “plausible.”

• In its January 26^th Order, the ICJ cited UNRWA statements documenting dire conditions in the Gaza Strip, before introducing its fourth Provisional Measure:

• “The State of Israel shall take immediate and effective measures to enable the provision of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance to address the adverse conditions of life faced by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip;”

• Hours later, Israel leveled allegations against a dozen UNRWA employees, and Canada “paused” Humanitarian funding committed to UNRWA without waiting for an Investigation.

We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:

live up to our obligations under the Genocide Convention, to prevent the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip from “deteriorating further before the Court renders its final judgment,” by

reinstating Canada’s UNRWA funding, and
advocating other countries do the same to prevent the collapse of UNRWA when Gaza’s lifeline is needed most.

SIGN Petition e-4802: Restore UNRWA Funding

I’ve asked many people to sign petitions, but never started my own til now.

This is one of many bad things going on in the world today that could easily be stopped with political will. Unfortunately too many politicians in winner-take-all political systems like ours don’t actually represent us. Which is why we have to work so hard trying to get them to listen. And why so many people across Canada feel compelled to protest in the streets.

Genocide is the worst thing people can do to one another.

Israel has issued many orders to the people of Gaza since October 7, 2023. As a result, its attacks have laid most of Gaza to waste. The vast majority of the surviving population has been herded into Rafah, the last remains of a city in the Gaza strip. Today, more than a million people huddle in refugee tents that have no doubt been provided by UNRWA.

The genocide in Gaza is not just plausible, it is ongoing. And because it could be completed at any time, nothing is more important today.

That’s why it is so important to get 500 signatures as quickly as possible.

I am terrified that the end is imminent.

Which is why I am asking you to please sign this petition, and share it with everyone you know.

Thank you.

My Submission to The Canadian Environment Minister’s Public Consultation

Q1. What opportunities do you think the Government of Canada should pursue to reduce emissions by 40-45% below 2005 levels by 2030 and position Canada to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, including in any or all of the following economic sectors? Please elaborate on your answers where appropriate, including any specific insights on policy opportunities or initiatives.

Q1 – Buildings

Since buildings are the source of 12% of our GHG emissions, the reasonable first step is to stop building buildings we know need expensive retrofits to get to NetZero.

It’s economical to build to standards we know are necessary.

Since time is of the essence, we need a moratorium on new buildings until we set and adopt a nation-wide net zero emissions building code for 2022, while concurrently developing a model retrofit building code.

Government commitments of $100 million for EV charging stations and grants up to $5000 for home retrofits is a start, but doesn’t go far enough. Especially amid Covid-19 economic challenges, offering homeowners grants to cover a percentage of needed retrofits will help only homeowners with the wherewithal to rennovate. We haven’t the luxury of abandoning homes—and homeowners— who can’t.

Banks could also be obliged to provide low or no-interest loans to retrofit homes.

Q1 – Electricity

Electrify everything and clean up how electricity is produced. Phase out coal but not by switching to natural gas. We need to phase out natural gas too. Nuclear is both too slow to get up and running and too expensive. Do not invest in LNG.

Q1 – Oil and Gas

Eliminate fossil fuel subsidies NOW, as promised in 2015.

Phase-out public financing of the fossil fuel sector, including from Crown corporations.

Q1 – Transportation

We need to electrify transportation With EVs and zero fare public transit. Build intercity transit, implement high performance rail.

Stop subsidizing airlines.

Stop building highways.

Incentivise development of compact, mixed-use communities, and promote work from home and co-share work spaces.

Q1 – Agriculture and Waste

Keep your promise of “Triple funding for cleantech on farms, including for renewable energy, precision agriculture, and energy efficiency.”

We need food security, but we also need to revisit the whole idea of animal agriculture and factory farms.

Stop promising to ban single use plastic and DO IT.

Reduce and eliminate plastic production. Recycling is not enough.

Q1 – Nature Based Climate Solutions

Support conservation of wildlife habitat, nature conservation, wetland restoration, and recreation. Planting seedlings is no replacement for mature trees, especially old growth. Promote bamboo and hemp as alternative quick renewable replacement for paper plastic and wood fibre.

Q1 – Economy-wide (e.g., carbon pricing, climate-risk disclosure, sustainable finance, etc.)

Revenue Neutral Carbon Fee and Dividend is the carbon pricing gold standard but the price has to rise much more rapidly.

Q2. What do you see as the barriers or challenges to reducing emissions in these sectors? Do you have suggestions on how to overcome these barriers?

Lack of political will.

Vote.

Proportional Representation.

No.

Q4. Looking beyond 2030, what enabling measures, strategies or technological pathways do you think the Government of Canada should put in place now to ensure that Canada is on track to net-zero emissions by 2050?

Stop investing in Fossil Fuels.

Stop investing in military expansion and armaments.

Our children will have a livable future

Q6. How would you like to be engaged on Canada’s climate plans moving forward? How often should this engagement occur, and what method or format would be preferable?

Every 6 months.

You need to do a better job engaging the public.

This would be okay but not anonymous.

The questions should be posed better.

I must admit I don’t expect this Liberal government to actually listen. They have been talking about climate action — like stopping fossil fuel subsidies— since 2015. They never actually managed it, yet they did manage to buy a pipeline. Clearly I have good reason to be skeptical. Nonetheless it is important to participate in consultations– even if we think they are simply window dressing— if for no other reason than to get our opinion on the record.

Without Proportional Representation, our Representative Democracy isn’t very accountable to us. But maybe they’ll listen.

What’s important? View this post on Instagram A post shared by GLOBAL YOUNG…

What’s important?

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by GLOBAL YOUNG GREENS (@globalyounggreens)

What is important?

Do you want to live in a world in which money is more important than people?

I don’t.

That’s why, no matter where you live, there is a Green Party. That’s why I volunteer for the Green Party.

We need to stop messsing around.

Its time to change the world.

#CERB to UBI Fact Check An NDP advocate org is suggesting Universal Basic Income was somehow first…

#CERB to UBI Fact Check

An NDP advocate org is suggesting Universal Basic Income was somehow first introduced into the Canadian political conversation by the NDP. But that’s not the case at all. The first time I heard any public NDP discussion about UBI was when it was brought forward by NDP leadership candidate Guy Caron. Who didn’t win. At that time UBI was *not* NDP policy. Is it now? 👀

It certainly wasn’t NDP policy during the 2019 federal election. 🌻 Only Green Party of Canada candidates were actively advocating for UBI in 2019.

As they’ve done for years. I always thought the strongest resistance to NDP UBI were Unions worried they would become redundant if workers didn’t need to work.

🌻The GPC version of UBI is called Guaranteed Livable Income or #GLI. The idea is to provide not just a bare basic income, but enough to live reasonably on. (Like CERB.)

The GPC’s GLI wouldn’t just eliminate poverty. Nor would it be only a temporary means to allow the most vulnerable to stay home without during a pandemic. GLI would do much more than fill the economic gap left by ever increasing elimination of jobs by Artificial Intelligence (AI) automation.

GLI will provide the economic means that will free Canadians up so we can experiment while still feeding our families. Some of us will innovate and invent. Others will create music or sculpture or books or paintings or movies or games. Some will volunteer for the causes we find worthy. Many will be able to concentrate on education or take the time we needed to raise children. Those who work for others will be better positioned to achieve equity. Social workers won’t need to police the poor, and will finally be able to practice social work.

The one thing we have learned from the growing number of UBI studies and pilot programs from around the world is that Basic Income won’t turn us into a nation of lazy bums. People will work because we want to work. We need to work — it’s in our DNA.

Basic Income— especially if it’s a GLI— means we won’t have to work for other people, doing mindless soul sucking work better done by machines, for companies whose executives will loot our pension funds before driving the company into bankruptcy on the eve of our retirement.

GLI will free Canadians to follow our dreams.

It’s part of the excellent suite of social programs the Greens campaigned on way back in 2015. Programs like Universal Pharmacare.

And Universal Education.

I first learned this was Green Party policy when pretty much the only thing I could find about basic income on the internet was an article about https://m.huffingtonpost.ca/2014/12/23/mincome-in-dauphin-manitoba_n_6335682.html.

A Canadian City Once Eliminated Poverty And Nearly Everyone Forgot

The Mincome Basic Income Pilot Program was a joint effort by the federal Liberals under Pierre Trudeau and Ed Schreyer’s Manitoba NDP. Unfortunately both of those governments fell, as often happens under our First Past The Post winner-take-all voting systems, and the pilot project was allowed to finish, but neither of the succeeding federal or provincial Progressive Conservative parties cared to do anything with the data, so much like Indiana Jones’ Lost Ark it was packed off to a warehouse to be forgotten.

And none of the succeeding majority federal Liberal governments (1980, 1993, 1997, 2000, 2015) or Manitoba majority NDP governments (1981, 1986, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011) ever considered even looking at, much less implementing even a modest Basic Income like Mincome.)

In a last ditch effort to appear progressive to stave off losing power, the Ontario Liberals put forward their own #BasicIncome pilot program designed to continue into the next electoral term. However the Ontario Greens pointed out the OLP’s pre-election budget failed to provide funding to continue the pilot, much less implement it.

The other parties often shy away from policies they are afraid they can’t sell, especially if other parties have been associated with them.

Only the Green Party consistently champions basic income policy. Not because it’s politically expedient, but because it is the right thing to do.

As Annamie Paul says, the Green Party is the Party of Daring.

#COVID19 Changes Everything

Arguments against UBI suggested such a policy was too expensive, or that it would transform Canadians into lazy bums who would not work.

Both of those arguments were thoroughly debunked by the #CERB (Canadian Emergency Response Benefit) which provided weekly payments of $500 a week to enable people to stay home during the height of the pandemic. The program demonstrated that political will was the only real barrier to funding thus basic Income program, and it quickly became clear that CERB benefuciaries couldn’t wait to get back to work.

It is true that Mr Singh advocated for the expansion of #CERB, so if could function as a UBI. But his initial caveat was that his recommendation was only for a temporary emergency measure.

So we are happy to see the positive response to CERB has helped the NDP join us in advocacy for a truly Universal Basic Income for all Canadians.

We’re always happy to see other parties adopt Green policies addressing problems that require equitable solutions.

https://www.annamiepaul.ca/guaranteed_liveable_income

Images included were 2019 GPC campaign graphics.

💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚

Must Watch: Green Party of Canada Election Coverage

TONIGHT! Must Watch: Green Party of Canada Election Coverage

When I began Whoa!Canada I’d been determinedly non-partisan all my life. For various reasons I did end up joining a party — the Green Party of Canada—in middle age. Even so, I’ve worked to keep partisanship out of this blog. But the Green Party Leadership race, like any major party leadership, is important for all of Canada. TVO recognized this from the get go, but even so there has been very…

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Must Watch: Green Party of Canada Election Coverage

When I began Whoa!Canada I’d been determinedly non-partisan all my life. For various reasons I did end up joining a party — the Green Party of Canada — in middle age. Even so, I’ve worked to keep partisanship out of this blog. But the Green Party Leadership race, like any major party leadership, is important for all of Canada. TVO recognized this from the get go, but even so there has been very little serious coverage. In the Internet era, we’re no longer entirely at the mercy of MSM gatekeepers, so there’s been plenty to see online. Tonight CBC, Youtube and Facebook will present live election night coverage.

As most of the GPC Leadership campaign has coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic, although a few of the Candidates had begun cross Canada tours when the shut downs hit, there has been very little opportunity for Green Party members to actually engage with leadership candidates face to face.

But that hasn’t stopped the Canadian Greens from putting on an excellent engaging leadership campaign. Interim Leader Jo-Ann Robert’s People, Politics and Planet podcast hosted interviews with all the candidates. We began with 10 candidates, and end with 8 going into tonight’s election.

Amita Kuttner @AmitaKuttner https://amitakuttner.ca/
David Merner @DavidMerner https://davidmerner.com/
Glen Murray @Glen4Climate https://www.green-glen.ca/
Annamie Paul @AnnamiePaul https://www.annamiepaul.ca/
Meryam Haddad @MeryamHd2020 https://www.meryam2020.ca/
Courtney Howard @courtghoward https://drcourtneyhoward.ca/
Dimitri Lascaris @dimitrilascaris https://www.teamdimitri.ca/
Andrew West @greenandrewwest http://www.andrewwest.ca/

July 20-30: Regional Townhalls with the GPC Leadership Contestants.

Quebec (French). Watch on Facebook or Youtube
Prairies (English). Watch on Facebook.
Atlantic (Bilingual). Watch on Facebook or Youtube
North (English). Watch on Facebook or Youtube
British Columbia (English). Watch on Facebook or Youtube
Ontario (English). Watch on Facebook or Youtube

There have been a wide variety of Interviews and Zoom meetups with Electoral District Associations across the country.

Fair Vote Canada kicked off the Green Party 2020 Leadership Debate season:

Fair Vote Canada Leadership Debate on Democracy

The Agenda with Steve Paikin: GPC Leadership Debate 2020

Canada’s place in the world: Green Party of Canada Leadership Debate

Finally, after months of hard work campaigning, CBC will be hosting the Green Party Leadership 2020 Election Night coverage!

Youtube
https://www.youtube.com/c/canadiangreenparty

Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/GreenPartyofCanada

CBC news on TV or Online https://www.cbc.ca/news

WATCH LIVE: Green Party of Canada 2020 Leadership Election Night

The Green Party of Canada is choosing a new leader. If you’ve…

The Green Party of Canada is choosing a new leader. If you’ve been leaning green, join the party by Thursday, September 3rd, and you’ll be able to vote in October’s election.

For more information, check out the candidates official bios and websites:
https://www.greenparty.ca/en/leadership-contest#contestants

Join the Green Party of Canada

Elizabeth May: A Legacy of Leading the Green Party

Elizabeth May: A Legacy of Leading the Green Party:

I am very sad to see Ms May step down as the Green Party of Canada leader; I believe she would make a fabulous Prime Minister, but that was not to be. On the other hand, she’s certainly put the GPC on the map. And, for that matter, Greens. Despite the Defenders of the Status quo who’ve accused her of trying to hog the spotlight. Since becoming involved with the GPC, I can tell you nothing could have been further from the truth. Part of the reason there are 3 Green MLAs in BC, 1 MPP in Ontario, 3 MLAs in New Brunswick, and that the Official Opposition in PEI is due in part to the fact Ms May has always spared some of her prodigious energy working to help build the Green movement across Canada. The problem has not been with Ms May, but with defenders of the Status Quo number the MSM (Mainstream Media), which has generally worked hard to lock Greens out of politics. They know a strong enough Green influence will disrupt the status quo. Because Greens do politics differently. This is a great interview. Well worth a listen.