On March 18, we provided the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs with new information on the condition of the centenary elm, informed the Committee that Minister Carla Qualtrough planned to destroy the elm tree by March 31, and asked the committee to intervene.  

At the conclusion of its regular meeting on March 19, the Committee chair, the Honourable Larry Bagnell, announced  that it would 1) hold an emergency meeting to hear evidence regarding the potential removal of the centenary elm from its place of prominence on Parliament Hill, and

2) write to Minister Carla Qualtrough to request a moratorium on the destruction of the tree until the committee issues its recommendation on this subject. 

Listen to the audio clip here (relevant section starts at 13:03:48). 

The emergency meeting was slated for March 21 but had to be cancelled because MPs were occupied with budget votes in the House of Commons. The emergency meeting will now occur on April 2, at which time, as invited witnesses, we will be making a statement and responding to questions from MPs.

In the meantime, by signing this petition, you are asking Minister Qualtrough to respect the Standing Committee’s request that her officials not destroy the centenary elm, or any of the other 13 mature trees in the green enclave in which the elm is located, between now and April 2.