Close X
Thursday, October 31, 2024
ADVT 
National

Greens to choose interim leader tonight

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 24 Nov, 2021 11:03 AM
  • Greens to choose interim leader tonight

UPDATED STORY:

OTTAWA - Paul Manly, the former MP who lost his British Columbia seat in the election, withdrew Wednesday from the race to be interim leader of the Greens.

His withdrawal from the contest, which will be decided by the party's federal council on Wednesday evening, makes Amita Kuttner, who stood against Paul in last year's leadership election, the new front-runner for the role.

If appointed, at 30 years old, Kuttner would be the youngest person, the first trans person and the first person of east Asian descent to lead a national political party.

Kuttner, a nonbinary astrophysicist from B.C., has been a vocal advocate of action to address flooding and climate change. Their mother was killed and their father severely injured in a mudslide in 2005 after their North Vancouver home was crushed.

Manly was backed by former leader Elizabeth May and former interim leader Jo-Ann Roberts, to take on the temporary role.

His withdrawal surprised senior Greens, prompting speculation that he may now run to take over from Annamie Paul and lead the Greens permanently.

The interim leader will be in the post for a maximum of six months, before a full-time leader can be elected to succeed Paul, who formally stepped down as Green leader earlier this month.

The party has been beset by infighting and saw its support plummet in the election, returning two MPs but losing a significant share of the popular vote.

Paul said leading the Greens was the worst period of her life and has handed in her party membership.

EARLIER STORY:

OTTAWA - The Greens will tonight choose an interim leader to take the helm of their troubled party, following the resignation of Annamie Paul.

Paul Manly, the former MP who lost his British Columbia seat in the election, is the favourite to take on the challenge.

He is being backed by former leader Elizabeth May and former interim leader Jo-Ann Roberts, who was urged to take on the job again.

The party's federal council will meet tonight to consider a clutch of applications they have received for the stand-in leadership position.

Dr. Amita Kuttner, who stood against Paul in last year's leadership election, confirmed she has applied for the role.

Kuttner, a nonbinary astrophysicist from B.C., has been a vocal advocate of action to address flooding and climate change.

Her mother was killed and her father severely injured in a mudslide in 2005 after their North Vancouver home was crushed.

The interim leader will be in post for a maximum of six months, before a full-time leader can be elected to succeed Paul, who formally stepped down as Green leader earlier this month.

The party has been beset by infighting and saw its support plummet in the election, returning two MPs but losing a significant share of the popular vote.

Paul said leading the Greens was the worst period of her life and has handed in her party membership.

 

MORE National ARTICLES

Singh calls on Ottawa to pay Iqaluit water bill

Singh calls on Ottawa to pay Iqaluit water bill
Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh wants the Liberal government to pay the cost of fixing Iqaluit's ongoing water emergency. The 8,000 people who live in Nunavut's capital haven't been able to drink their tap water since Oct. 12 when it was found to contain fuel.

Singh calls on Ottawa to pay Iqaluit water bill

Greens begin search for interim leader

Greens begin search for interim leader
The Green party is looking for an interim leader to take the helm before a fresh leadership election among its members. The troubled party, which has been beset by infighting and sniping, has accepted the resignation of Annamie Paul who last week stepped down.

Greens begin search for interim leader

51 year old male pedestrian dies after being struck by vehicle

51 year old male pedestrian dies after being struck by vehicle
Officers were called to Davie and Thurlow streets in response to a two-car collision between a Dodge Ram and a Toyota Prius. The impact of that collision resulted in the Dodge Ram skidding and hitting a wheelchair-bound man on the sidewalk of the intersection.

51 year old male pedestrian dies after being struck by vehicle

Canadians preparing for space telescope launch

Canadians preparing for space telescope launch
The James Webb Space Telescope is scheduled to blast off Dec. 18 aboard the Ariane 5 rocket from the Guiana Space Center in French Guiana. The orbiting infrared observatory, a collaboration between NASA and the European and Canadian space agencies, will be 100 times more powerful than its predecessor, the Hubble Space Telescope launched in 1990.

Canadians preparing for space telescope launch

Natural Resources ministry must evolve: Wilkinson

Natural Resources ministry must evolve: Wilkinson
Wilkinson is three weeks removed from the cabinet shuffle that made him the fourth natural resources minister in the last six years. Now after helming the environment department tasked with combating climate change, he's in charge of the department that regulates and promotes many of the products that cause it.

Natural Resources ministry must evolve: Wilkinson

Joly, Freeland, Ng, Mendicino joining D.C. summit

Joly, Freeland, Ng, Mendicino joining D.C. summit
Mélanie Joly is in Mexico City for meetings with counterpart Marcelo Ebrard before travelling to Washington, D.C., for the so-called Three Amigos summit Thursday.

Joly, Freeland, Ng, Mendicino joining D.C. summit