The Greenhouse Parliament—2018

The Canadian Parliament will be moved into a greenhouse structure, attached to the original Parliament building, in 2018. They will deliberate and conduct business in the greenhouse while the old building is renovated and asbestos is removed. The Parliament is scheduled to remain there for several years while the renovations are completed. Subsequently, the greenhouse will continue to be used for committee meetings and other business.

As they deliberate in the greenhouse, MPs would watch the sun and clouds move overhead. They would listen to the thunder and patter of raindrops of a passing thunder storm. They would see the snow fall and the hear the wind blow in winter. They would see the rising of the moon as they vote in the evening. They would hear the patter of squirrels and pigeons as they run across the roof. Perhaps a sparrow or two would make its way into the glass structure and fly over their heads. MPs might take advantage of the bountiful sunlight and put potted plants on their desks. A dwarf maple tree might grace one end of the glass hall, producing living reminders of the symbol of Canada's flag.

Is it possible that by simply exposing government leaders to the power and beauty of nature as they deliberate that they might enact environmentally conscious legislation? Might they take some real, substantial action on climate change if they had daily exposure to the climate? Is it possible that being surrounded by plants and animals, trees, clouds, sun, rain and snow that they might start to think about the impact of their legislative acts on the environment? Would it become painfully clear how much they have failed to act? Would they moved by the beauty and power of nature herself to protect the earth and its people?

Perhaps it is hoping for too much, and perhaps my already greened-imagination is running away with me, but I can't help but think that this could be a model for governments in the 21st century. Instead of constructing fortresses that seal governments off from the natural environment and all its inhabitants—humans, animals and plants—we should build government greenhouses where leaders are reminded as they work every day just what it is they are charged with protecting.