On February 28, 2023, we hosted a panel that explored the use of Private Members' Bills as one tool of working with MPs for environmental advocacy.
“Amazing!!! Great conversation, inspiring panelists”
Our panel on Unpacking Private Members’ Bills (PMBs) explored the use of PMBs as a tool for change. Our panelists shared their diverse perspectives, provided insight into the benefits and challenges of using this tool and offered advice based on their extensive experiences.
SPEAKERS
Lenore Zann, Former MP, Social & Environmental Activist
A tireless champion of the Arts, Women, and Social and Environmental Justice, Lenore has over a decade of experience as a popular and hard-working elected official - having served on provincial and federal levels of government for 12 years. Her Private Member’s Bill, A National Strategy Respecting Environmental Racism and Environmental Justice is the first bill of its kind in North America.
Lenore is the recipient of the 2014 Duke of Edinburgh Gold Lifetime Award for Service to Community & Country and the 2023 Cobequid Arts Council Lifetime Achievement Award for Contribution to Arts and Culture.
Lynn Jones, Community, Labour & Environmental Activist
Lynn Jones is a a community and labour activist from an African Nova Scotian community in Truro,NS affectionately known as " The Marsh". She moved to Halifax to pursue higher academic goals. From inception to present day she has been in the vanguard of the struggle against anti Black racism and the obtaining of basic Human Rights for marginalized communities. Jones became the first Black person to be elected General Vice President of the Canadian Labour Congress., the largest union body in Canada.
She presently chairs the first board of directors of the Down the Marsh Community Land Trust in Truro, Nova Scotia whose purpose is to facilitate the obtaining of land to be owned in perpetuity by the Black community to erect affordable housing for members of the Black Community.
Hon. Richard Cannings, Member of Parliament for South Okanagan—West Kootenay (BC)
A renowned natural historian, Richard was elected in 2015 as Member of Parliament for South Okanagan—West Kootenay. He is a member of the New Democratic Party caucus and serves as critic for Science and Industry; Emergency Preparedness (Climate Change Resilience); Small Business and Tourism; and Deputy Critic – Innovation, and Natural Resources.
Richard has worked tirelessly to protect B.C.’s great outdoors. He served for over a decade on the B.C. Environmental Appeal Board and for eight years as co-chair on the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. Author of a dozen award-winning books on the natural history of British Columbia, Richard was named B.C.’s Biologist of the Year by the Association of Professional Biologists in 1996. In 2008, he was named an Honorary Fellow at Okanagan College.