As MPs laugh at her solo caucus speech, comparisons to Trump’s self-centred style grow harder to ignore
New data from OpenParliament.ca reveals that Elizabeth May is among the most frequent users of the word “I” in the House of Commons. In fact, only one MP—has used the word more. The rest of the most frequent users coming in after Elizabeth May are Prime Ministers Chrétien and Trudeau who had vastly more speaking time than May. May has used the word over 6350 times since 2011 that’s over 450 times per year.
This week, during a rambling intervention in Parliament, May declared:
“I stood on behalf of the entire Green caucus as I do today and pledge not to heckle.”
MPs burst into laughter—because the “Green caucus” consists of exactly one person: Elizabeth May. After leading the party through a devastating collapse in the 2025 federal election, which saw the Greens drop to 1.2% of the vote and lose all seats but hers, May appears unwilling to reckon with the reality of her party’s decline.
Instead, she falls back on a familiar habit: talking about herself.
This tendency is not new—but the numbers make it undeniable. May’s use of “I” exceeds that of virtually every other parliamentarian, including those with far greater parliamentary workloads. What’s more, her speeches often pivot away from the issue at hand to center her own moral positioning, historical memory, or past efforts.
She speaks as if she’s narrating a memoir in real time. Every crisis becomes a reflection of her personal journey. Every debate, an opportunity for Elizabeth May to remind you who she is.
In this sense, May’s rhetorical style shares uncanny similarities with someone she would no doubt see as her polar opposite: Donald Trump.
While the ideological content differs, the structure is strikingly parallel:
• Both use “I” obsessively, collapsing party and personal identity.
• Both dwell in a mythologized past, referencing former triumphs and grievances.
• Both speak in moral binaries, elevating themselves as uniquely principled.
• Both personalize institutional roles, blurring the lines between officeholder and brand.
Trump’s famous declaration—“I alone can fix it”—echoes in May’s lone-caucus declarations and her insistence on being the singular conscience of Canadian politics. Like Trump, May appears increasingly isolated, embattled, and focused on self-vindication over strategic growth.
After her awkward speech, punctuated by laughter from the House, May fired off a few partisan barbs before sitting down. There was no mention of Gaza. No call for sanctions. No words about the future. Just more “I.”
It’s not just that the Green Party collapsed under her watch. It’s that even now, when the world is burning, Elizabeth May still thinks the story is about her.
