[fvc-wat-disc] Fw: Green Party leadership race - FYI

Thu Sep 8 16:46:12 EDT 2022

Apologies for any duplication in mailing.
An update from Anita on the approach to the Green Party leadership race.
David

Residing on the Haldimand Tract promised to the Six Nations in 1784, the traditional lands of the Attawandaron (Neutral), Anishinaabe, and Haudenosaunee peoples. 

   ----- Forwarded Message ----- From: Anita Nickerson <anita.nickerson at fairvote.ca>To: Chapters Google Group <fair-vote-canada-chapters at googlegroups.com>Sent: Wednesday, September 7, 2022 at 03:38:22 PM EDTSubject: Green Party leadership race - FYI
 Hey everyone. 

I'm sure most of you are aware of this... 

The Green Party leadership race is on and the deadline to become a member so you can vote is September 14.

There are six candidates running, but two of them are pairs - running on a co-leadership idea. If one gets elected the other one will be Deputy leader, then an effort will be made to change the party constitution for co-leadership, which is common in Green Parties around the world.

October 7-14 will be the first vote, by PR-STV, to narrow the field from six down to four. The final vote will be from Nov 12-19, leader announced on the 19th. 

A Green philosophy is that the leader is supposed to represent the policies decided by the members, not invent things on their own. In this particular race (so far, in terms of what is officially available from candidates) it appears they are trying to follow that a lot more than last time. There is an emphasis more on who can lead the party to success rather than on differentiating themselves based on unique-to-the-candidate policy positions. 

Below this email I've copied who's running (from Wikipedia). 

Onto how this affects FVC/PR:

The last two elections, the Green Party ran on exactly what we were asking for - a National Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform - while clearly stating of course that they champion PR. 

As with the last Green Party leadership race, FVC won't be endorsing anybody. 

A LOT of our supporters and long-time volunteers are Greens. They end up being divided in a leadership race over things that have nothing to do with PR, it can get quite heated, and by endorsing someone we just burn bridges without actually accomplishing much for advancing PR. 

(What we do in any race is always after weighing out advantages vs disadvantages of doing X or Y in that situation - each race is different).

In the last Green Party race we hosted the first all-candidates debate ten candidates on Zoom!

And then we put out report cards at the end based mainly on how well each candidate's position aligned with our own. 

The goal there was really to get the front runners on the same page as FVC. Particularly to get one of the front runners off the referendum bandwagon, and to ensure that PR was an issue that was mentioned. In the last race, that approach was needed, but it was a lot of work for us.

We won't be doing that for this race (at least I'm not planning on it now) because it's not necessary. 

In this race, both of the teams I expect to be front runners after the first vote - Keenan/Walcott and May/Pednault - are strong for PR. 
Both Elizabeth May and Anna Keenan have a long history of dedication to the PR movement, have made PR a priority issue historically, and have an extensive history of relationship/involvement with FVC. 

We may put out one or two mailers with past record on our issue and current quotes.  

When I see one of the candidates making a big deal about PR or CA (and not pushing one system only or a counterproductive theory of change) I will share some of that on this list, for anyone who wants to amplify it. Like we do with other politicians.
Cheers,

Anita

Candidates[edit]

Sarah Gabrielle Baron[edit]

Sarah Gabrielle Baron is a teacher, businesswoman and creative author residing on Manitoulin Island, Ontario.[15] She was the candidate for Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing in 2006, and an Independent candidate for Durham in 2021.[16][17][18] She calls for a moratorium on new nuclear development.[19]

      - Campaign website: www.sarahgabriellebaron.ca

Simon Gnocchini-Messier[edit]

Simon Gnocchini-Messier is a senior teacher at the Department of National Defense. He was the candidate for Hull—Aylmer in 2021.[20][21] He says he would work with municipalities to make federally owned land in urban areas available for cooperative farming, dedicate space for food production in public parks larger than two acres, and include vertical farming in new residential developments greater than 100 units.[22] He also calls for an increase in hydroelectricity production, in part to support electrification of public transit.[22]

      - Campaign website: www.simongmessier.ca/en

Anna Keenan[edit]

Anna Keenan, 36,[23] was the candidate for Malpeque in 2019 and 2021. She is running on a joint ticket with Chad Walcott.[16][18]

      - Campaign website: www.keenanwalcott.ca

Elizabeth May[edit]

MP for Saanich—Gulf Islands since 2011, former Green Party leader (2006–2019), and parliamentary leader since 2019. May previously said she would not return as permanent nor interim leader,[24] but when asked in July of 2022, she did not deny considering a run.[25] Running on a joint ticket with Jonathan Pedneault.[26][27][18] Mays says she would advocate for a change the party constitution to institute a co-leadership model.[28]

      - Campaign website: elizabethmay.ca

Jonathan Pedneault[edit]

Jonathan Pedneault [fr] is a human rights activist and co-director of the 2008 documentary "Refuge: A Film About Darfur" from Montreal, Quebec.[29][30][31] He is running on a joint ticket with Elizabeth May.[26][18] As Pedneault is running on a joint ticket with Elizabeth May, he shares a platform with her.

      - Campaign website: www.jonathanpedneault.ca

Chad Walcott[edit]

Chad Walcott, 34,[23] was the candidate for Notre-Dame-de-Grâce in the 2018 Quebec provincial election. He is running on a joint ticket with Anna Keenan.[16][18] As Walcott is running on a joint ticket with Anna Keenan, he shares a platform with her.

      - Campaign website: www.keenanwalcott.ca

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