In late July, the leader of the Green Party of Canada, Annamie Paul announced that the party would be hosting a National Convention.
The announcement of the National Convention
At a climate roundtable held on July 27th, 2021 Paul told reporters that the annual general meeting is a regular event held by the Green Party. She explains that the thirteen-member federal council has decided to proceed with the event this year through an online format. She told reporters that “preparations are underway.” The convention will be the 18th bi-annual general meeting of the Green Party of Canada. It will take place between the 20th and 22nd of August. To sign up for updates on the Convention click here.
On July 16th, the Party’s executive council declared a “state of electoral urgency”. This announcement was made by two senior party members who were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter. The “state of electoral urgency” is used to speed up the nomination process for candidates in anticipation of an election. The Liberals announced a similar declaration in June of 2021.
What this could mean for Paul’s campaign
The purpose of the national convention is to have all party members vote on platform policies and elected positions. This convention is linked to the internal disputes that the Green Party has been facing over the past few months. A handful of Green’s federal council seeks to unseat Annamie Paul from her position as Party leader. On Wednesday, July 21st, federal councillors launched a legal proceeding against her on behalf of the Green Party as an attempt to remove her from her position.
This convention will only serve as a distraction for Paul in the upcoming election. It will take time away from recruiting volunteers, fundraising for her campaign and other election preparations.
On top of this, the federal council chose to withhold roughly $250,000 dollars in funding that had been put aside for Paul’s campaign. This cancelled cash transfer means fewer dollars to put toward advertising, research and staff resources for Paul’s campaign.
Paul Stays Hopeful
According to CTV News, Paul said she hopes the governing Liberals will avoid triggering an election. She wants to prioritize other issues that require immediate attention, including the climate and opioid crises.
In Annamie Paul’s roundtable event hosted July 27th, she discusses how she wants to focus her energy on policy and limiting runaway global warming:
“I have made the choice about where my energy and my attention is going to be focussed. And I really encourage anyone who cares about the same issues that I do to do the same. Because we, unfortunately, won’t have much time before the next election.”
-Annamie Paul
After the climate roundtable, she readdressed the need to focus on policy, “There are just a lot of things that suggest we need to get back to Parliament, and September should be the return from the summer recess and not a summer election.”
More on Annamie Paul:
The Green Party of Ontario Stands Behind Federal Leader, Annamie Paul
A Rocky Road Ahead for Green Party Leader Annamie Paul
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[…] convention would have been a major distraction for Green Party leader, Annamie Paul, and her campaign. The […]