Canadian Conference 2013

We are not your mom and dad’s environmental group

In the fall of 2012, the Canadian arm of CCL set a goal to have our own conference and lobbying days in November 2013. From November 16-18, 2013 we realized our vision. Many thanks to the fundraisers  because it cost a lot more money to run the conference than we raised in fees.

ATTENDEE NUMBERS
36 citizen climate lobbyists lobbied on Monday
42 people were trained to be citizen lobbyists on Saturday
62 people (including speakers and special guests) people attended parts or all of the three day conference and lobbying days

ATTENDEES FROM SEA TO SEA: At the conference we had attendees from Merigomish Nova Scotia to Victoria BC

PARLIAMENTARIANS LOBBIED:
26 face to face meetings with Parliamentarians in Ottawa (two were very brief)
14 NDP, 6 Liberal, 5 Conservative, 1 IND + 2 meetings with staffers in Ottawa

NDP: Claude Gravelle (Nickel Belt), Carol Hughes (Manitoulin-Algoma), Charlie Angus (Timmins- James Bay), Glenn Thibeault (Sudbury), Mathew Kellway (Beaches East York Toronto), Craig Scott (Toronto), Mathew Ravignat (Pontiac Que),  Linda Duncan (very briefly – she graciously gave us her time and would like to meet with the CCL Edmonton group),  Peter Julian (Vancouver and NDP Natural Resources Critic), Murray Rankin (Victoria), Jack Harris (St John’s), Wayne Marston (Hamilton),  Pat Martin (Manitoba) and Francois Choquette(NDP Deputy Environment Critic).

LIBERALS: Senator Grant Mitchell – the only Senator and was the first Parliamentarian we ever lobbied on Parliament Hill. John McKay (Liberal Environment Critic from Scarborough),  Marc Garneau (Montreal),  Carolyn Bennett (St Paul’s, Toronto), – Stephane Dion (Montreal), Joyce Murray (Vancouver Quadra) and Liberal policy advisor Rick Theis

CONSERVATIVES: Greg Rickford (Red Lake – Kenora), Wladyslaw Lizon (Mississauga), Joe Daniel (Don Valley East Toronto), Peter Braid (Kitchener) and Robert Sopuk (Manitoba)

GREEN PARTY: Elizabeth May’s staff (Ms May is in Warsaw at the UNFCCC with the Afghan delegation because Canada would not give her credentials) – E. May’s Chief of Staff is Debra Eindiguer; Jaymini Bhikiha is Executive Assistant

INDEPENDENT: MP Bruce Hyer spoke at our conference, spent a lot of time with us on Parliament Hill. And MP Bruce Hyer asked the Minister Environment on the Floor of the House of Commons to consider Carbon Fee and Dividend and also name dropped CCL. Thus our policy and our name our on record at Parliament. He went on to repeatedly ask the government to consider carbon fee and dividend many times.