Welcoming MP Elizabeth to Discuss Some Sweeping Legislation With Disturbing Environmental Implications

Twenty-one humans (and our favorite canine ASK Salt Spring guest, Envy,) came to this ASK Salt Spring gathering to welcome our MP Elizabeth May. Facilitated by Grant Fredrickson with notes taken by Julie Thomson (Thanks, Julie and Grant!), we were pleased to be introduced to Summer Smith, Elizabeth’s new full-time assistant from North Saanich. We also learned that she has a new constituency coordinator, Riley Johnson. She added that her constituency office will be moving at the end of September or beginning of October, asking us to check the address if we are planning to visit her this fall.

In her Acknowledgement, Elizabeth expressed her deep gratitude for the work First Nations are doing to protect BC’s coastline, mentioning the continuing fight against the expansion at Robert’s Bank by the Lummi Nation. We learned later in our conversation about the disturbing July 4th announcement that the pipeline route will come out of Roberts Bank. BC will get another $10 billion from the Federal government for this Roberts Bank development that will threaten local wildlife, including the Southern Resident Killer Whales, Sandpipers, and other species. Unfortunately, recent changes to many laws ,such as C-5, https://www.canada.ca/en/intergovernmental-affairs/news/2025/06/implementation-of-bill-c-5-one-canadian-economy.html), suggests that if a project is in the national interest, which they say the Robert’s Bank expansion is, no studies are required to proceed.

Elizabeth also lauded the Tsleil-Waututh Nation’s protest of the dredging of Burrard Inlet to accommodate heavily-loaded Aframax tankers. Later in our conversation, a participant asked why we are not more up in arms about this recent dredging approval to allow access for these super tankers carrying a substance that is likely to eventually cause a deathly spill? Elizabeth believes that too many are simply not recognizing the damage, listening, instead, to news about dredging progress.

She concluded our Acknowledgement with the traditional gesture of holding up both hands, telling us that a local Chief some years ago had told her that this traditional gesture of love and gratitude is “to be a tree.” 

When participants introduced themselves, we learned that the group brought dramatically different perspectives, some newcomers and others having lived on Salt Spring for many decades. Areas of interest included housing and transportation as well as serious concerns about recent harmful environment decisions.

Elizabeth was asked for an update since her last visit with us in May (https://asksaltspring.com/2026/05/15/hope-from-mp-elizaberth-may-in-troubling-times/).

She began by acknowledging ASK Salt Spring and the great information generated each week. She also noted its evolution over the years, recalling that the first time she joined us, we met under the apple trees at the United Meadow. She shared her pleasure that ASK Salt Spring (recently a committee of the Community Alliance) is now a registered society with enthusiastic team of Board Members. 

She then spoke briefly of her employers, the over 100,000 folks in South Saanich, the Saanich Peninsula, and the five Gulf Islands, telling us of her commitment to visit each community multiple times each year. We learned that her riding does not include Victoria, extending instead from just south of Mayfair Mall and including Gordon Head, Cordova Bay, Brentwood Bay, and Sidney, as well as the five Gulf Islands. With Parliament convening again September 21, 2026, she plans to schedule meetings in each of her communities in September, visiting again next January. She finds these community meetings (as well as her regular visits ASK Salt Spring) to be immensely helpful, noting significant differences between each community’s vision as well as their areas of concern.  

Recalling a chaotic June 2025 marked by bulldozing legislation through to build things bigger and faster, such as Bill C-5, the One Canadian Economy Act (https://www.canada.ca/en/intergovernmental-affairs/news/2025/06/implementation-of-bill-c-5-one-canadian-economy.html), Elizabeth was dismayed that this June saw another mad dash to push legislation through quickly. She spoke briefly of her concern of the Carney government’s use of a Programming Motion, a procedural tool in Parliament designed to limit debate and enforce strict voting deadlines on government legislation. Programming Motions have been used to fast-track controversial “nation-building” legislation (such as Bill C-5), as well as major technology and justice bills.

A focus of Elizabeth’s effort this spring has been upon these just passed bills: 

Elizabeth was deeply concerned about Division 8 of C-30, the omnibus budget bill, that grants the Cabinet sweeping powers to authorize and maintain pesticides even when Health Canada deems them unsafe (https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/bill-c-30-changes-pesticide-use-pest-control-products-act-9.7240832). 

She used the example of prairie farmers’ struggle to combat the infestation of gophers, made even worse due to drought conditions, by using previously-banned liquid strychnine. After initially denying farmers its use, the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) (now named Pesticides Regulatory Directorate – PRD) reversed itself this April, allowing its use with conditions. 

It is widely-believed that this reversal led to the passage of Division 8 of C-30, the sweeping new roll-back of Pest Control Product Act protections in that allows “a product’s use for the emergency control of a seriously detrimental infestation. This power may be exercised if the Governor in Council considers it necessary to do so to protect national economic security, regional economic security or national food security.” (https://lop.parl.ca/sites/PublicWebsite/default/en_CA/ResearchPublications/LegislativeSummaries/451C30E.

We learned from Elizabeth that this decision was never studied nor did the Cabinet hear from a single witness or expert concerning the consequences of this roll back of pest control protections. Elizabeth is convinced that there are non-lethal, non-toxic approaches to reducing the populations of ground squirrels/gophers, including capturing, caging, and better protection of the crop. 

Also of great concern to Elizabeth is the May 8, 2026 announcement by Minister of Transport, Honourable Steven MacKinnon and Dominic Le Blanc’s, Minister of Inter-Governmental Affairs of new regulatory reforms aimed at fast-tracking major national development projects. While the government stated these reforms would simplify regulations and accelerate economic growth, environmental groups and Elizabeth have serious concerns that fast-tracking proposals could potentially override or weaken key environmental safeguards of the Species at Risk Act (SARA). 

Elizabeth is horrified by the implications of potentially bypassing SARA, fearing it could allow the legal extinction of Southern Resident Killer Whales because they are in the way of pipeline tanker traffic. She has hope, however, that the extension of the public consultation period until July 22 will result in enough public outrage to prohibit this legal extinction of our Southern Resident Killer Whales.  

Despite Elizabeth’s strong stances on this sweeping legislation, she was disappointed that virtually no news outlets reported her concerns. She was shocked and unhappy that neither the Globe & Mail nor CBC reported her fears about the dismantling of pesticide regulations and the potential legal extinction of our killer whales. She is, however, pleased that Althia Raj of the Toronto Star is reporting her concerns about pesticides: (https://www.thestar.com/politics/political-opinion/carney-government-prepares-to-dismantle-pesticide-rules/article_656b26ff-38d8-4c87-be43-9b51670a4b04.html) and the potential legal extinction of our killer whales.   

While there have been too many losses trying to get our government to slow down and consider the unintended (especially environmental) consequences of its sweeping legislation, Elizabeth is encouraged by the growing dissatisfaction she senses among back benchers. She has hope for a good outcome this summer for the bi-election for John Wilkinson’s seat of North Vancouver – Capilano. She will be supporting the Green Party candidate, Dr Shelly Luce, a PhD in environmental science and engineering.

Elizabeth also spoke with respect of the courage of Will Greaves, the new liberal MP for Victoria, who called out our Prime Minister for initially supporting Trump and Netanyahu’s attack on Iran and Carney’s failure to condemn it as a violation of International law and the UN Charter. Similarly, she appreciates courage of liberal MP Patrick Weiler who has distanced himself from pipeline support.

Elizabeth was asked about gas tax money, also known as Community Works Funding (https://www.crd.ca/your-community/community-funding/community-works-fund). Administered by Union of British Columbian Municipalities (UBCM) and distributed by our Electoral Director, this is an important source of local infrastructure funding, with Salt Spring receiving over $600,000 a year. The Consumer Carbon Tax was permanently abolished April 1, 2025. Unfortunately, removing this tax did not help people who are struggling with the cost of basic needs, such as food. The government also enacted a temporary suspension of the federal fuel excise tax on gasoline, diesel, and aviation fuels. Paused this year from June to September, this temporary suspension  created about a $2 billion federal shortfall. Our Community Works funding was not impacted by either of these actions.   

As Alberta seems to function on a “boom/bust” mentality, a participant asked whether the new pipeline could be built before the next “bust” comes. Elizabeth told us that, at this time, production of Alberta crude and dilbit, a mixture of thick, sticky, naturally occurring bitumen (which has the consistency of peanut butter) mixed with lighter petroleum liquids (diluents), is at an all-time high. 

Without a sales tax, Alberta’s economy is largely dependent upon income from fossil fuels and offers the lowest royalty rates in the world. In Elizabeth’s opinion, Alberta can export all that they can produce. She is predicting that Alberta will also get public money to increase its oil sands mining and its production of fossil fuels as exports to Asia are increasing with a third of these exports going to China in the form of tar to pave roads.

Elizabeth is very concerned that Alberta will be allowed to hold a separation referendum, a vote that has a high likelihood of being manipulated much like the Brexit vote. She worries about foreign interference were a vote to be allowed, noting that Separatists have asked the White House for billions of dollars to help set up a new Alberta economy.  

Elizabeth reminded us that, once again, our strongest allies are First Nations. They have successfully achieved a temporary injunction against a separation referendum, arguing that First Nations had entered into treaties with the Crown before the province of Alberta existed that would not be honoured if Alberta were to separate. Unfortunately, this push for the pipelines Alberta wants is seen by some as the only choice to maintain national unity.

A participant asked if it is time to rip up the Canada-US Safe Third Country Agreement (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/mandate/policies-operational-instructions-agreements/agreements/safe-third-country-agreement.html). While Elizabeth continually argues that the United States has clearly demonstrated that it is not a safe country, at this time, the government is not prepared to consider cessation of this agreement. 

Elizabeth was asked, in the face of such disheartening challenges, what the average Canadian can do, particularly with respect to climate change? Elizabeth responded that it all comes down to democracy, a fair voting system, working together, and increasing our solidarity with First Nations. In her opinion, we have failed on the climate change issue more than on any other issue. In a more perfect world, government decision-making is based on public opinion that is formed by getting good information, talking to one another, and informing our government of their conclusions. Now, national polling tells us that most British Columbians think pipelines are okay! 

But, as our time together was ending, Elizabeth reminded us that there is much that we can do, much work ahead. She suggested that we keep talking to each other, read Katherine Hayhoe’s book, Saving Us: A Climate Scientist’s Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World, (https://katharinehayhoe.com/book-review-saving-us-a-climate-scientists-case-for-hope-and-healing-in-a-divided-world/), and subscribe to Good Sunday Morning written by Elizabeth every week.

Our time together over, we all thanked Elizabeth for a complex, insightful, wide-ranging, and honest conversation about the serious issues facing us as well as hope that we can improve things. We applauded her for her hard work, wisdom, deep knowledge, tenacity, and good cheer in the face of seemingly-overwhelming odds. (A heartfelt “thank-you,” Elizabeth!) 

Just in case you are interested. . . .This report has been written by Gayle Baker, founder of ASK Salt Spring, currently also a Salt Spring Local Community Commissioner. It has also been reviewed by Elizabeth and her Team.