# Matthew Green (Canadian politician)

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.

### Controversy

In April 2016, Green was standing under a bridge, kitty corner from a bus stop, when he was questioned for one minute by Constable Andrew Pfeifer of the Hamilton Police Service, who was in his car. Green, a vocal anti-carding advocate, filed a complaint with the Hamilton Police Service, saying he was clearly just on his phone and waiting for a bus, and that he felt racially profiled and "psychologically detained" by Pfeifer's questioning. Pfeifer said it was a cold and windy day, and that Green was standing in an unusual spot, in an area with three lodging homes for people with mental health issues, so the constable wanted to check that Green was OK. As a result of the complaint, the officer was charged with discreditable conduct under the Ontario Police Services Act. Green also filed a human rights complaint.
After a five-day hearing the officer was found not guilty by a tribunal in April 2018. The hearing officer stated: "In my view, Const. Pfeifer's … concerns were reasonable and not the result of hyper sensitivity in regards to Mr. Green," and "I lack the necessary confidence in Mr. Green's credibility to accept his evidence that he was psychologically detained."

## 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 pro-Palestinian group controversial for handing out candy in celebration of the October 7th attack on Israel. Afterwards, he released a statement on. Green released a statement on November 14, 2023 saying that he was against antisemitism, as well as "the rise of Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian hate," and condemned Holocaust denial and the "incitement of hatred towards any group including the Jewish community." 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

vte2021 Canadian federal election: Hamilton Centre :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | New Democratic | Matthew Green | 20,105 | 48.70 | +2.54 | $59,357.46 |
| | Liberal | Margaret Bennett | 10,941 | 26.50 | -2.17 | $33,346.62 |
| | Conservative | Fabian Grenning | 6,209 | 15.04 | +0.67 | none listed |
| | People's | Kevin Barber | 2,637 | 6.39 | +4.50 | $0.00 |
| | Green | Avra Caroline Weinstein | 1,105 | 2.68 | -4.96 | $3,627.12 |
| | Communist | Nigel Cheriyan | 184 | 0.45 | – | $0.00 |
| | Independent | Nathalie Xian Yi Yan | 99 | 0.24 | +0.05 | $0.00 |
| Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | 41,280 | 99.16 | – | $120,288.26 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 351 | 0.84 | – |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 41,631 | 55.72 | -3.36 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 74,721 |
| | New Democratic hold | New Democratic hold | Swing | Swing | +2.35 |
| Source: Elections Canada |||||||
vte2019 Canadian federal election: Hamilton Centre :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | New Democratic | Matthew Green | 20,368 | 46.16 | +0.60 | $71,015.33 |
| | Liberal | Jasper Kujavsky | 12,651 | 28.67 | -4.72 | $79,469.65 |
| | Conservative | Monica Ciriello | 6,341 | 14.37 | -0.28 | $13,186.90 |
| | Green | Jason Lopez | 3,370 | 7.64 | +3.31 | none listed |
| | People's | Melina Mamone | 833 | 1.89 | – | none listed |
| | Christian Heritage | Gary Duyzer | 182 | 0.41 | – | none listed |
| | Independent | Tony Lemma | 158 | 0.36 | – | $2,716.24 |
| | Independent | Edward Graydon | 134 | 0.30 | – | none listed |
| | Independent | Nathalie Xian Yi Yan | 85 | 0.19 | – | none listed |
| Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | 44,122 | 99.09 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 405 | 0.91 | +0.26 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 44,527 | 59.08 | -0.34 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 75,371 |
| | New Democratic hold | New Democratic hold | Swing | Swing | +2.66 |
| Source: Elections Canada |||||||
Candidates for the October 27, 2014 Hamilton, Ontario Ward Three Councillor Election :
| Candidate | Candidate | Popular vote | Popular vote | Popular vote | Expenditures | Expenditures |
| Candidate | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | Expenditures |
| | Matthew Green | 2,852 | 40.72% | – | $31,380.20 |
| | Ralph Agostino | 1,229 | 17.55% | – | $22,900.91 |
| | Drina Omazic | 825 | 11.78% | – | $27,000.76 |
| | Mark DiMillo | 525 | 7.50% | −2.63% | n/a$^1$ |
| | Sean Gibson | 361 | 5.15% | −8.53% | n/a$^1$ |
| | Tim Simmons | 334 | 4.77% | – | $15,087.14 |
| | Bob Assadourian | 330 | 4.71% | – | $26,412.29 |
| | Brian Kelly | 172 | 2.46% | – | $5,670.73 |
| | Maria Anastasiou | 93 | 1.33% | – | n/a$^1$ |
| | Byron Wayne Millette | 73 | 1.04% | – | n/a$^1$ |
| | Eva John | 55 | 0.79% | – | n/a$^1$ |
| | Carlos Pinho | 51 | 0.73% | – | n/a$^1$ |
| | Victor Mejia | 42 | 0.60% | – | n/a$^1$ |
| | Bernie Szajkowski | 41 | 0.59% | – | $0 |
| | Jol Hess | 21 | 0.30% | – | n/a$^1$ |
| Total votes | Total votes | 7,113 | 29.59% | −1.41 | |
| Registered voters | Registered voters | 24,035 | 100% | | |
| $^1$ These candidates did not submit official Financial Statements and are, therefore, ineligible to run in the 2018 Municipal election Note: All Hamilton Municipal Elections are officially non-partisan. Note: Candidate campaign colours are based on the prominent colour used in campaign items (signs, literature, etc.) and are used as a visual differentiation between candidates. ||||||
| Sources: City of Hamilton, "Nominated Candidates" Archived 2010-08-20 at the Wayback Machine |||||||