Emily Lowan, the 24-year-old climate organizer running to lead the BC Green Party, has just taken a stand where so many Canadian politicians have fallen silent. In a powerful new statement posted to Instagram, Lowan denounced Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza, outlined a detailed policy response, and made clear that human rights and international law must be upheld—even when it’s politically difficult to do so.
“It is unacceptable to remain silent in the face of genocide and injustice,” Lowan wrote. “I stand with millions of people around the world who are calling for immediate action to end Israel’s genocide of Palestinian people in Gaza.”
With those words, Lowan has become the first and only candidate in the BC Green Party leadership race to speak out clearly on one of the most pressing and polarizing issues in global politics. She also signalled that under her leadership the B.C. Greens would abandon their longstanding support of the Zionist regime. Her statement is not only a courageous act of solidarity—it’s also a challenge to the political status quo in British Columbia and Canada.
A Clear Statement
Lowan’s statement doesn’t stop at words. It outlines an ambitious and justice-driven seven-point policy program:
• Permanent ceasefire
• End to the blockade of Gaza
• Equal democratic rights for all people in Israel-Palestine
• Two-way arms embargo between Canada and Israel
• Sanctions on Israeli officials and institutions complicit in war crimes
• Prosecution of war criminals
• Recognition of a Palestinian state
This platform aligns with the moral demands of a growing global movement calling for accountability, justice, and liberation for Palestinians.
“We must divest from genocide and invest in justice,” Lowan wrote, calling for provincial pension funds to be pulled from companies complicit in Israeli apartheid and occupation.
A Generational Shift—And A A Successful Test of Courage
In our July 7 feature, Global Green News wrote that Lowan’s yet to be released position on Gaza would be her first major test—a test of whether or not she would be willing to speak clearly, even when it risked backlash.
Emily Lowan has answered that question with clarity, conviction and honesty that is unparalleled in the B.C. Greens. She has passed this first test of principle.
This intervention marks a stark contrast with previous BC Green leaders, who largely avoided the issue of Palestine.
Andrew Weaver, who led the party from 2015 to 2020, condemned the federal Green Party’s endorsement of BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) in 2016, labeling it “extremist.” He also refused to support key Indigenous land defenders and shocked many by endorsing a pipeline and refinery project.
Sonia Furstenau, who succeeded Weaver, was seen as more empathetic and stronger on the environment but she still went out of her way to condemn Hamas and pro-Palestinian protestors in B.C. At one point she refused to join calls for an NDP member to resign over comments in which she referred to Gaza as a “crappy piece of land with nothing on it”. Even during peak violence in Gaza, Furstenau declined to denounce Israel—avoiding both criticism and accountability.
Federal Green Party leader Elizabeth May has been overwhelmingly supportive of Israel by offering hedged statements and has consistently refused to call for sanctions preferring to refer to Isreal and its genocidal regime as an “ally of Canada” while openly attacking pro-Palestine voices within her own party. She has recently used the word genocide to describe the situation in a press conference but has yet to use the term in parliament.
Emily Lowan is doing the opposite. She’s confronting genocide, calling for sanctions, and pledging to pressure both provincial and federal governments to act. While others looked away, Lowan is speaking up.
At the provincial level in B.C. no other Green Party leadership candidate, including Lowan’s main leadership rival Jonathan Kerr, has spoken on the issue at all. She has now joined former Green Party of Canada MP Paul Manly, Green Party of Saskatchewan leader Naomi Hunter and Green Party of Quebec leader Alex Tyrrell in calling for sanctions.
Lowan’s stance resonates deeply with the thousands of young people, Indigenous land defenders, anti-war organizers, and racial justice activists who have been demanding a realignment of Canada’s political conversation.
Bringing Palestine into the Classroom
Lowan also pledged to decolonize the BC education system, starting with the inclusion of the Nakba—the 1948 ethnic cleansing of Palestinians—in the Grade 6–12 curriculum.
“Teachers can choose to teach these topics without being silenced or facing discipline,” she promises.
In a country where educators are often penalized or threatened for addressing the realities of Israeli occupation, this commitment stands out as an essential defense of academic freedom, anti-racism, and historical truth.
Intersecting Struggles: Palestine, Climate, and Colonialism
Lowan’s statement rightly places Palestine within a broader anti-colonial, anti-racist, and climate justice framework.
“No matter the political pressure, I will always speak out against violence in our communities in B.C. and around the world,” she writes.
This reflects the political orientation that has defined her campaign so far. From her roots in the climate justice movement and Indigenous solidarity work, Lowan is showing that true decolonization cannot stop at Canada’s borders.
Her leadership platform already includes a ban on new fossil fuel projects, free public transit, a wealth tax on corporations, and full implementation of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (DRIPA). Her call for Palestinian liberation now brings a vital international dimension to her campaign—and signals that Lowan sees justice as indivisible and that she is ready to lead.
A Party—and A Country—At A Crossroads
Lowan’s statement comes at a time when few Canadian politicians are willing to use the word “genocide” to describe Israel’s actions in Gaza, despite overwhelming evidence from legal scholars, the UN, and major human rights organizations.
“No one is free until everyone is free.”
Emily Lowan
With that rallying cry, Emily Lowan is doing what few others dare: naming the violence, demanding justice, and inviting her party to choose courage over comfort.
At 24 years old, Emily Lowan is showing that courage, integrity, and solidarity are not liabilities. They are leadership qualities—and the foundation of a politics rooted in justice.
