Six people vying for leadership of Green Party as voting starts Saturday

Around 22,000 people will be able to start voting Saturday for the next leader of the Green Party of Canada, with the winner set to be announced Nov. 19.

The Greens are the fifth-largest federal party, holding two seats in the House of Commons: Mike Morrice in Kitchener-Centre and former leader Elizabeth May in Saanich-Gulf Islands.

Here’s a look at the candidates.

Elizabeth May and Jonathan Pedneault: Running on a joint ticket, former leader May and crisis expert Pedneault say they want to lead a party that pushes hard against the federal Liberals and New Democrats, who May says are now on “cruise control” with regard to environmental policies.

Sarah Gabrielle Baron: An Ontario teacherwho ran as an Independent against former Conservative leader Erin O’Toole in last year’s election, Baron says her plans revolve “around the knowledge that we are entering the big times, that green passion is so powerful.”

Anna Keenan and Chad Walcott: The two community organizers are also running to be co-leaders. They entered the race saying people were feeling cynical about Canadian politics, and Walcott says the party needs to present something “new and fresh” to Canadians.

Simon Gnocchini-Messier: A federal public servant who ran for the Greens in the Quebec riding of Hull-Aylmer in 2021, he says the narrative that the party is in disarray does not match his experience. Influenced by the politics of the late NDP leader Jack Layton, Gnocchini-Messier sees the Greens as the party advocating for “ecological wisdom.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2022.

David Fraser, The Canadian Press