Elizabeth May’s Strange Pre-Election Message: Vote, But Maybe Not Green?

With a federal election approaching, Green Party co-leader Elizabeth May has released a video that raises eyebrows about her commitment to the party she leads. In a nostalgic and meandering speech, May reminisced about her 2011 election victory while seemingly encouraging voters to cast their ballots strategically for any “progressive” candidate—not necessarily a Green one.

This is a peculiar message coming from the leader of a political party that is actively running candidates across the country. Instead of making a case for why voters should choose the Greens, May appears to be implying that they should prioritize electing progressives—even if that means voting for another party.

A Confusing Appeal to Strategic Voting

May begins her video by reiterating the Green Party’s long-standing opposition to Canada’s first-past-the-post electoral system. But rather than making a clear case for why Greens deserve more seats, she pivots to suggest that “every vote counts” and that voters could unknowingly be on the verge of electing a progressive MP without realizing it until after the fact.

What exactly does she mean by this? The statement reads more like an endorsement of strategic voting—choosing a candidate most likely to defeat a conservative opponent—rather than a call to support the Green Party.

She follows up with a personal anecdote about her own victory in 2011, emphasizing that she won her seat due to high voter turnout. But nowhere in the video does she make a direct case for voting Green in this election. Instead, her message remains vague, bordering on an indirect endorsement of strategic voting.

Why This Is a Problem for the Green Party

May’s comments come at a crucial time when the Green Party is already struggling with internal disorganization, uncertain electoral prospects, and a lack of clarity on key policy positions, such as whether or not to impose sanctions on Israel. Instead of rallying Green supporters, her message may inadvertently encourage them to cast their ballots for other parties—an alarming move for a leader trying to expand her party’s presence in Parliament.

Strategic voting has long been a challenge for the Greens, as left-leaning voters are often pressured to support the NDP or Liberals to block Conservatives from winning seats. By failing to explicitly advocate for voting Green, May risks reinforcing the idea that the party is not a viable contender in this election.

A Leadership in Disarray?

This latest misstep raises further questions about the state of Green Party leadership under May and co-leader Jonathan Pedneault. With reports of organizational struggles, debates over the party’s stance on international issues, and now a muddled election message, voters and Green supporters may be left wondering: Does Elizabeth May still believe in her own party’s viability?