Matthew Green (Canadian politician) facts for kids

Matthew Green (born September 10, 1980) is a Canadian politician. He is a Member of Parliament (MP) for the Hamilton Centre area in Canada. He was first elected in 2019 and then again in 2021.

About Matthew Green

Early Life and Education

Matthew Green was born and grew up in Hamilton, Ontario. His dad, Raymond Green, used to be an ironworker, and his mom, Susan Scharf-Green, was a teacher. Matthew went to Acadia University and studied political science. This helped him learn about how governments work.

Getting Started in Politics

Matthew Green was inspired by Lincoln Alexander, who was the first Black Canadian MP. Lincoln Alexander was also a politician from Hamilton. Matthew joined the New Democratic Party (NDP) in 2017. He was inspired by Jagmeet Singh, the leader of the NDP, who spoke out against unfair treatment based on race.

Matthew Green was the first Black Canadian to be elected to the Hamilton City Council. He worked as a city councillor for Ward 3 from 2014 to 2018. While on the council, he worked to make Hamilton the first city in Ontario to control and license companies that offer "payday loans." These are high-interest loans that can cause problems for people. He wanted to protect people from unfair lending practices.

In 2018, he became the leader of the Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion (HCCI). This is a group that works to make sure everyone is treated fairly, no matter their race. Matthew Green believes in helping people and making society more equal.

Matthew Green in Parliament

First Term (2019-2021)

Matthew Green became the first Black Canadian to represent Hamilton in the Canadian Parliament since Lincoln Alexander. As an MP, he has spoken out against police actions that are too harsh. He also supported a country-wide ban on using tear gas.

Second Term (2021-Present)

Matthew Green was re-elected on September 20, 2021. In July 2021, he supported the idea of a national "wealth tax." This means that very rich people would pay a small tax on their total wealth. In March 2022, the NDP leader, Jagmeet Singh, chose Matthew Green to be on a special committee. This committee looked into the "Freedom Convoy" protests that happened in Canada.

Since becoming an MP, Matthew Green has worked on different issues. He has sponsored one bill, which is a proposed law. This bill was about allowing tradespeople to deduct their travel expenses from their taxes.

Working on Committees

Matthew Green works on several important committees in Parliament. Committees are small groups of MPs and senators who study specific topics and proposed laws in detail.

Joint-Chair of a Special Committee

Matthew Green is a leader and joint chair of the Special Joint Committee on the Declaration of Emergency. He believes that members of this committee must work together. This committee looked into the government's use of emergency powers during the "Freedom Convoy" protests.

Member of Other Committees

He is also a member of other committees, including:

• The Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs (PROC)
• The Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics (ETHI)
• The Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure of the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics (SETH)

NDP Critic Roles

In the NDP party, Matthew Green has special roles called "critic" roles. This means he focuses on specific areas and speaks for his party on those topics.

• He is the NDP Critic for Ethics.
• He is the Deputy Critic for Employment and Workforce Development.
• He is the Deputy Critic for Labour.
• He is the Deputy Critic for Public Services and Procurement.

What Matthew Green Cares About

Supporting Human Rights and Peace

Matthew Green has spoken about the need for Canada to do more to help people affected by conflicts. He has called for peace and supported humanitarian efforts.

In January 2024, Matthew Green was one of five Canadian MPs who traveled to the West Bank and Jordan. They met with Palestinian refugees and Israeli groups who also support peace. This trip was supported by a Muslim non-profit group. Matthew Green shared videos from a refugee camp, showing damaged buildings and a growing graveyard. This trip happened after Canada voted for a humanitarian ceasefire at the United Nations.

Fighting Poverty

Matthew Green strongly supports ideas that help communities fight poverty. He has spoken out against "predatory payday lenders," which he calls "economic violence." He believes these high-interest loans harm people. He has also said that the government needs to act faster to help Canadians with the rising cost of living. Making housing affordable is also a very important issue for him.

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