Greater Victoria MPs voted best of the bunch by peers

Two Greater Victoria members of Parliament are leading by exceptional example in Ottawa, according to recent nominations by their peers.

In the lead up to the 11th annual Parliamentarians of the Year event, Maclean’s Magazine announced Murray Rankin, MP for Victoria, and Elizabeth May, MP for Saanich—Gulf Islands, have been nominated for awards.

Between September and October, MPs are asked to nominate their most notable peers – from their own parties and across party lines – in a variety of categories.

Rankin is short-listed for the title of Hardest Working Parliamentarian of the Year, while May is up for Most Knowledgeable Parliamentarian of the Year.

In addition to representing Victoria in federal politics, Rankin is a university professor and an expert in environmental and public law. Of recent note, he introduced a private member’s bill in the House of Commons to ask that Sept. 30 be officially recognized as Orange Shirt Day; he introduced a bill to expunge certain cannabis-related convictions; and continues to be an advocate for environmental protection. In November 2017, Rankin was appointed to the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians.

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On top of being leader of the Green Party of Canada, May is an environmentalist, author, activist, and lawyer. Earlier this year, May was arrested and fined $1,500 for civil contempt during a demonstration against the Kinder Morgan pipeline; sponsored a petition created by the Victoria Advocates for Refugees that called on the federal government to eliminate the backlog of private sponsorship applications by the end of 2018; and was involved in Victoria’s second annual Women’s March. She is not new to the parliamentarian awards, having won Parliamentarian of the Year in 2012, Hardest Working Parliamentarian of the Year in 2013, and Best Orator in 2014.

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The top accolade, Parliamentarian of the Year Award, goes to the MP who collected the highest number of votes across all categories. B.C.’s Nathan Cullen, MP for Skeena—Bulkley Valley, is up for that award against Gérard Deltell and Kevin Lamoureux.

The winners will be announced at the awards event at Chateau Laurier in Ottawa on Nov. 5.