With just weeks remaining in the B.C. Green Party leadership race, Emily Lowan has emerged as the clear frontrunner in terms of political momentum, grassroots energy—and now, endorsements.
From internationally renowned human rights advocates to Indigenous land defenders, climate scientists, elected officials, and veteran organizers, Lowan’s campaign has built a coalition of support unmatched by her rivals. While fellow candidates Jonathan Kerr and Adam Bremner-Akins have secured backing from municipal colleagues and party insiders, Lowan’s endorsements reflect a much broader and more movement-rooted base—one that could reshape the party from the ground up.
A Flood of High-Profile Endorsements
In recent days, Lowan’s campaign has unveiled endorsements from a who’s who of Canadian and international justice movements:
• Dr. Gabor Maté, world-renowned physician and trauma expert, called Lowan’s campaign “a fearless advocacy for global human rights,” praising her for speaking “with practicality and sincerity.”
• Tzeporah Berman, chair of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative, joined the Greens for the first time in 30 years to back Lowan:
“She is whip-smart with the fire to grow this party… I am fed up with the NDP’s expansion of fracking and LNG, and I know Emily won’t cave to big oil.”
• Chief Na’Moks, hereditary chief of the Wet’suwet’en Nation, offered his full endorsement, citing her commitment to democracy and trustworthiness after years of political disappointment.
• Severn Cullis-Suzuki, Indigenous climate leader and daughter of David Suzuki, hailed Lowan as the “frontline leadership our party needs.”
• Anjali Appadurai, climate justice leader and former federal NDP candidate, also endorsed Lowan this week through a public video filmed beside a river on Indigenous land. Appadurai, who galvanized thousands with her own bid for BC NDP leadership in 2022, is widely seen as a rising voice for decolonization, climate justice, and grassroots democracy—her support signals a growing alignment between Lowan’s campaign and the broader movement for transformative politics in B.C.
• Jeremy Caradonna, PhD, Victoria City Councillor and CRD Director, also endorsed Lowan, writing:
“Emily is the right person to move the Party forward on housing, healthcare, reconciliation, climate, affordability… Her bold vision for a livable future can renew our collective commitments to transformative climate action.”
Also endorsing Lowan are:
• Sean Orr, Vancouver City Councillor
• Peter McCartney, climate activist and planner
• Janelle Lapointe, Indigenous rights organizer
• Dr. Bill Carroll, UVic sociologist and climate researcher
• Drew Harris, Gitxsan/Wet’suwet’en land defender
• Kayla Brent, former Furstenau campaign director
• Susan Kim and Jesse Stoeppler (Gwii Lok’im Gibuu), among others
These endorsements reflect a generational, ideological, and strategic shift—away from cautious centrism and toward principled, movement-aligned politics.
Where Rivals Stand
By contrast, Jonathan Kerr, a Comox councillor and family doctor, has drawn endorsements from:
• Jane Sterk, former BC Green leader
• Jenn Meilleur, Comox councillor
• Arzeena Hamir and Randy Sunderman, former Green candidates
These endorsements emphasize Kerr’s strategic thinking, collaborative leadership, and experience in local governance—but lack the cross-sector reach and grassroots energy of Lowan’s coalition. Kerr’s pitch is one of continuity and pragmatism, focused on party-building and steady policy implementation.
Meanwhile, Adam Bremner-Akins, a third candidate in the race, has received endorsements from:
• Samantha Agtarap, Port Moody City Councillor
• Dave Wharton, Director with the Outdoor Recreation Council of BC
Bremner-Akins is running a lower-profile campaign rooted in grassroots environmentalism and reconciliation, but has yet to gain the broad provincial support or national visibility that Lowan now commands.
Lowan’s Vision: Courage, Justice, and Transformation
Lowan’s campaign is powered by voices outside traditional party structures—those who’ve long demanded a bolder, more justice-focused Green Party. Her recent statement on Israel’s genocide in Gaza, her refusal to compromise with fossil fuel interests, and her call for climate, social, and democratic transformation have earned her deep respect from both grassroots activists and high-profile leaders.
“Emily exemplifies the kind of leadership our world desperately lacks—honest, fierce, compassionate and just,” said Kayla Brent, former BC Greens staffer.
Her leadership style is one that centers land defenders, workers, renters, and young people—a far cry from the cautious, insider-focused politics of her predecessors.
A Leadership Race With Real Stakes
With the B.C. Green Party struggling to maintain relevance in a polarized political landscape, this leadership race may determine whether the party aligns with the bold energy of youth-led justice movements, or continues down a path of electoral caution and party discipline.
Lowan’s supporters are betting she can do more than lead the party. They believe she can revitalize it, reconnect it to its roots, and build a new generation of Green politics in B.C.—one rooted in climate truth, Indigenous sovereignty, wealth redistribution, and international solidarity.
If endorsements are any indication, that vision is catching fire.
