Matthew Green (Canadian politician) facts for kids

Matthew Green MP (born September 10, 1980) is a Canadian politician who was elected to represent the riding of Hamilton Centre in the House of Commons of Canada in the 2019 Canadian federal election, and re-elected in 2021.

Early and personal life

Green was born and raised in Hamilton, the son of Raymond Green, a former ironworker, and Susan Scharf-Green, a retired school teacher. His maternal grandparents were Doris (Forward) and Nelson Scharf (who had a cheese factory), and his uncle was David Scharf. He received a BA degree in political science and legal studies from Acadia University.

Career

Green said that the example set by Lincoln Alexander, the first Black Canadian MP and a former Hamilton politician, helped inspire him to get into politics. Green joined the NDP in 2017 after being inspired by Jagmeet Singh's stance against racial profiling.

Elected as the first Black Canadian to serve on the Hamilton City Council, where he represented inner-city Ward 3 from 2014 to 2018, he lobbied for the city to become the first in Ontario to license and regulate payday lending. In 2018, he became the executive director of the Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion (HCCI), a non-profit organization that promotes racial equality. Ideologically, Green identifies as a "Stanley Knowles New Democrat".

In 43rd Canadian Parliament

Green is the first Black Canadian to represent Hamilton in Parliament since Lincoln Alexander. As an MP, Green has been an outspoken opponent of police brutality, and endorsed a nationwide ban on the use of tear gas.

In 44th Canadian Parliament

Green was re-elected on 20 September 2021 in the 2021 Canadian federal election to a hung parliament, its 44th Canadian Parliament.

In July 2021, Green endorsed a national wealth tax. In March 2022, NDP leader Jagmeet Singh nominated Green to serve on the Special Joint Committee on the Declaration of Emergency which had the mission to investigate the Freedom Convoy.

Through August 2024, in his nearly five years in the parliament Green had sponsored one bill (C-222, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (travel expenses deduction for tradespersons)), as to which there had been no activity since he introduced it in 2021.

Committees

Green has roles with four committees.

Joint-Chair

Green is a member and joint chair of DECD: Special Joint Committee on the Declaration of Emergency, and said that committee members "have a 'responsibility' to work together" in light of the disagreement of the Conservative Official Opposition over the constitution of the committee. It consisted of seven MPs and four senators.

Member

He is also a member of PROC: Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, ETHI: Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics, and SETH: Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure of the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics.

NDP Critic roles

Green is the NDP Critic of Ethics, and the Deputy Critic for Employment and Workforce Development, Deputy Critic for Labour, and Deputy Critic for Public Services and Procurement.

Political and social causes

Palestine

Green has criticized Canada's lack of action for Palestinian victims of what he called ethnic cleansing and collective punishment.

In July 2020, Green mistakenly accused Israel of stopping a Covid testing center in Hebron, and condemned Israel for it. When his error was pointed out, Green deleted his post.

Green spoke at an pro-Palestine demonstration hosted by Toronto4Palestine, a group that supports a ceasefire in the Israel–Hamas war. Afterward, he released a statement on November 14, 2023. Green said that he was against antisemitism, as well as "the rise of Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian hate," and condemned Holocaust denialism and "incitement of hatred towards any group including the Jewish community." The Israeli government has argued that a ceasefire would simply allow Hamas to regroup and to launch additional attacks on Israel, and noted that Hamas has broken ceasefire agreements multiple times in the past. B'nai Brith Canada denounced Green’s comments at the rally, saying: “We are in the midst of a disturbing rise in antisemitism. The Jewish community is on edge. The bare minimum expected from our elected officials is to refrain from inflaming tensions. Green is doing the opposite."

In January 2024, Green was one of five Canadian MPs (two other NDP, and two Liberal) to travel to the West Bank and Jordan to meet with Palestinian refugees and aligned progressive Israeli groups. The trip was sponsored by a registered Muslim non-profit charitable organization that self-identifies as non-partisan, "Canadian Muslim Vote". Green shared video footage on his Instagram account of the Jenin Refugee Camp, calling attention to decimated infrastructure and an expanding graveyard. The trip followed Canada's vote in favour for a humanitarian ceasefire between Israel and Hamas at the United Nations General Assembly on December 12, 2023 (UNGA Resolution ES-10/22).

Anti-poverty initiatives

Green advocates for community-led anti-poverty initiatives. Green has opposed predatory payday lenders, referring to them as promoting "economic violence". Green has also criticized what he called the federal government's slow reaction to protect Canadians amidst the cost-of-living crisis. Affordable housing was also a key platform point on his most recent campaign.

Electoral record