Canada’s politics are stable enough that I can afford to be, more or less, a single-issue voter. Six years ago, I wrote to the incoming member of parliament for my riding – a candidate for whom I did not vote.
“Dear Ms. McKenna:
Congratulations on your new position as our Member of Parliament.
My parents live across the street from you, and I grew up there when Celia Franca lived in the little house next door to you. [various other personal details]. I’m a science journalist and author.
I went to your website during the campaign, and the issues your video talked about were more local than my own focus, so I ultimately voted for the Green Party. However, you will have my full support and campaign engagement in the next election if you do one thing during your current term: Agitate consistently for immediate action on the climate crisis.
All other concerns – even the repulsive spectre of war – are a distant second when compared to the destruction of our planet’s ability to sustain us.
I wish you the very best in this phase of your career. May you keep your head when all around are losing theirs.”
This was on the day after the election. She sent back something very nice. Yes, yes, climate is critically important, drop by sometime, blah blah. Just two weeks later, Catherine McKenna was was appointed Minister of Environment and Climate Change in Justin Trudeau’s cabinet. No such position had existed before.
Immediately thereafter, she made her way to the United Nations Climate Change Conference and—I have it on good authority from multiple people who were present—was instrumental in brokering the Paris Agreement. As in, it wouldn’t have happened without her.
I have no idea whether my letter had anything to do with anything. Our representatives are constantly swamped with letters, an overwhelming majority of which, I gather, are complaints about snow clearance. But secretly I imagine a meeting that, in my mind’s eye took place in the Liberal Caucus the week after the election. I picture Trudeau saying, who’s interested in the Environment portfolio? McKenna raising her hand and saying, ‘My constituents are passionate about this. Let’s add an explicit climate change mandate.’
That’s not the way it works, you say? Just let me own this sliver of civic pride.
Catherine McKenna recently announced – as she approaches the end of her second term—that she will not be running again. She will be dedicating the rest of her career to fighting climate change.
And who is rumoured to be replacing her as Liberal candidate for our riding, but former governor of both the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England, Mark Carney. Currently the Most Trusted Canadian. If anyone would like to overhaul the financial system, just DM me. I’ll put in a word from my storied position as a constituent. I’m known to be rather influential.