Green Party expects eight candidates on final leadership ballot

OTTAWA — Green Party officials said Monday they anticipate eight people will be able to hit Tuesday’s deadline to submit another $20,000 and make it onto the ballot for the party’s leadership vote in October.

The party is selecting a new leader for the first time in 14 years, after Elizabeth May stepped down after the 2019 federal election.

Candidates were required to submit 100 signatures and an initial $10,000 non-refundable deposit to be accepted into the race by June 3, and another 150 signatures and $20,000 are due Sept. 1.

Former international criminal court adviser Annamie Paul hit the markers almost two weeks ahead of schedule, submitting her final deposit and signatures on Aug. 19.

Green spokeswoman Rosie Emery said as of Monday afternoon, Montreal-based lawyer Dimitri Lascaris and Yellowknife-based emergency doctor Courtney Howard had also made the cut.

Emery said another five were expected to do so by the deadline.

Last-minute Twitter pitches for donations to Montreal lawyer Meryam Haddad were made Monday afternoon, appealing to people to help get her on the ballot.

Former Ontario Liberal environment minister Glen Murray, British Columbia lawyer David Merner, B.C. astrophysicist Amita Kuttner, and Ottawa lawyer Andrew West were also preparing to meet the deadline.

Nova Scotia computer scientist and veteran Judy Green withdrew over the weekend. She did not give an explanation, though as of the end of July she had only raised $11,655.

Montreal environmental activist Dylan Perceval-Maxwell was forced to withdraw in July after comments he made during a debate in June to do with making police give people of colour a small payment when they’re stopped, which fellow candidate Haddad said were racist.

May remains an MP and parliamentary leader, a role she likely will continue to play as none of the eight candidates in the running to succeed her has a seat in the House of Commons.

The Greens had their most successful election ever in 2019, electing three MPs, including May, Paul Manly on Vancouver Island and Jenica Atwin in New Brunswick.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 31, 2020.

The Canadian Press