Nathaniel Erskine-Smith

With renewed promise of serious climate action in the US, Saikat Chakrabarti joins me to talk about the Green New Deal. Saikat is former campaign manager and chief of staff to Congresswoman Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, co-founder of Justice Democrats, and currently president of New Consensus, a think tank focused on developing the Green New Deal. Listen here: https://uncommons.ca//green-new-deal-with-saikat-chakraba/

A welcome day. https://www.npr.org//poet-amanda-gorman-reads-the-hill-we-

A tragic loss and senseless murder. Natalie leaves behind two young daughters in Laila and Isabelle, and a grieving family (including her cousin Kaeleigh, a wonderful volunteer in my office). The family has set up a fund to support Laila and Isabelle, and all proceeds will be used to provide for the girls' future: https://www.gofundme.com/f/wecalledhernatalie It can't be said enough, but domestic and gender-based violence kills. And it has unfortunately gotten much worse wit...h the isolation brought on by the pandemic. https://london.ctvnews.ca/we-called-her-natalie-family-reme

I’ll be putting forward this motion today. When companies so incredibly fail to protect people on their platforms, they need to be held accountable. https://www.theglobeandmail.com//article-mp-to-request-th/

Out for exercise

We've just voted at 3rd reading for Bill C-7 (medical assistance in dying) and while I strongly support expanding access to MAID, I voted against the bill because my concerns about the blanket exclusion of mental illness have not been addressed. I hope the Senate puts a sunset clause on that provision, and I will support C-7 if and when it returns to ensure that it becomes law. In 2016, the Alberta Court of Appeal heard the case of EF, a 58 year old woman who suffered in ago...ny because of a sole underlying mental illness (severe conversion disorder). From the record: "She suffers from involuntary muscle spasms that radiate from her face through the sides and top of her head and into her shoulders, causing her severe and constant pain and migraines. Her eyelid muscles have spasmed shut, rendering her effectively blind. Her digestive system is ineffective and she goes without eating for up to two days. She has significant trouble sleeping and, because of her digestive problems, she has lost significant weight and muscle mass. She is non-ambulatory and needs to be carried or use a wheelchair. Her quality of life is non-existent." Her husband and adult children supported her application. But our new law as drafted would exclude her. The BC Civil Liberties Association raised these same concerns before the Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs. And, as the Association des médecins psychiatres du Québec aptly put it: "As is the case for all others, we think that it is a person's clinical circumstances and not his diagnosis that should determine MAID eligibility. Patients whose sole underlying medical condition is a mental disorder or mental illness should not be systematically excluded from accessing MAID." More, and again the AMPQ: "Given that MAID can already be provided to those with comorbid physical and psychiatric disorders and those with conditions have both physical and mental components, the argument that we can never make judgments about the eligibility criteria using our existing methods for people with mental disorders as their sole underlying condition does not withstand logical scrutiny." Now, fairly, many have argued that more time is required to get it right as it relates to mental illness as a sole underlying condition. But that militates towards an exclusion with a sunset clause, rather than a blanket ban. I have no idea what will happen to the bill in the Senate, but I'm thankful for Senators like Senator Stan Kutcher who are seized with and expert in these issues. If you have questions: [email protected]

Please share with anyone you know who might be looking for a job: - Stats Can is hiring over 32,000 employees for the 2021 census. More info here: census.gc.ca/jobs - The City of Toronto is hiring 100+ administrative support positions for public health immunization efforts. More info here: https://jobs.toronto.ca//Toronto-Support-Assist/544114817/

This is a strong framework: 5 year carbon budgets, reporting requirements, and independent oversight from the Environment Commissioner. That said, the timeline for the first milestone should be 2025 (not 2030), with the first progress report well before then. I've seen some criticism that this isn't an action plan, but it isn't supposed to be. ... Meeting our climate commitments depends on a combination of accountability, ambition, and action. This bill will provide important accountability and establishes the end goal of net zero by 2050. We now need increased short-term ambition, and more significant climate action, and I fully expect that we'll see both. https://www.thestar.com//liberals-table-climate-accountabi https://www.cbc.ca/ne/politics/net-zero-emissions-1.5807877

I don't often participate in the theatre of QP, but then it's also not every day that our government introduces legislation that reflects much of the hard work I've put into our privacy committee over the years. I'm looking forward to working with colleagues (especially Charlie Angus NDP - NPD) to review and improve Bill C-11 where we can.

To do our part in tackling climate change, we need ambition, accountability, and action. Our government's net zero climate accountability legislation establishes the right ambition - net zero by 2050 - and a strong framework for accountability. In this speech at 2nd reading, I highlight both the bill's positive measures and areas where it should be improved, namely much shorter-term accountability.

With passion and initiative, young constituent Mary Hawk has helped to make a positive impact for those in need. https://www.cbc.ca//love-box-project-aims-to-boost-the-con

We will remember. It’s not the same this year, of course, with a very scaled down and more private Remembrance Day ceremony at the Coxwell Legion. So it’s important to participate in online events instead where it’s possible and CBC is airing one now here:... https://www.cbc.ca//politics/remembrance-day-2020-1.5798042

Five years ago today, my first speech in the House of Commons. I’m mainly sharing this because it’s not a shot of me at a desk in front of my laptop.

A little recap of Senator Murray Sinclair & Dr. Jane Goodall at yesterday's press conference, working together to strengthen Canada's animal protection laws. Here's a good rundown from iPolitics: https://ipolitics.ca//jane-goodall-act-would-ban-elephant/ And another good article from HuffPost Canada: https://www.huffingtonpost.ca//murray-sinclair-jane-goodal

Back in July 2018, Professor Chelsea Rochman joined me at the Fox Theatre for a packed event alongside the Water Bros on the issue of plastic pollution. On this Uncommons episode, Prof Rochman joins me again to discuss Canada's zero waste strategy, our federal government's recent proposal to ban harmful single-use plastics and improve recycling systems, and what more we need to do. Listen here: https://uncommons.ca//episode-52-tackling-plastic-polluti/... Here's the zero waste strategy: https://www.canada.ca//zero-plastic-was/canada-action.html And here's the recent discussion paper: https://www.canada.ca//plastics-proposed-integrated-manage

Turning the page on a long four years.

Animals think, feel and love, and they deserve our respect and compassion. I was in Ottawa this morning to support Senator Murray Sinclair’s new bill, the Jane Goodall Act which will build on his previous efforts to strengthen our animal protection laws. Specifically, it will recognize the cruelty of captivity for elephants and great apes, create an easier process for adding other animals to the banned list, end the ivory trade, and give greater legal standing to animals. It...’s hard to think of two more powerful advocates than Senator Sinclair and Dr. Jane Goodall. One would be lucky to accomplish some small part of their respective lifetime’s of advocacy, and I’m lucky to join them in these efforts as the bill’s sponsor in the House. https://www.cbc.ca//jane-goodall-ape-elephant-captivity-1.

Access to information is critical for transparency and accountability. But as journalist Justin Ling explains on this Uncommons episode, Canada’s system is broken, and our government hasn’t fulfilled its promise of reform. Listen here: https://uncommons.ca//episode-53-access-to-information-is/

Thursday night live - ask me anything