Green Party Leader Elizabeth May is headed back to British Columbia after successfully defending herself against a challenge to her leadership.
Greens who attended a convention this weekend at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre voted 73.4 per cent in favour of changing the party’s constitution to eliminate a requirement that a leadership race be held this year.
Ms. May’s leadership also received an endorsement of support from 85 per cent of the members of her party.
The meeting was excellent for party unity, she said in an e-mail on Monday. “The national vote of 85 per cent support was actually exceeded by support by about 90 per cent support in the room.”
Sylvie Lemieux, a member of the Green party who is also a former officer in the Canadian Forces, had hoped to run against Ms. May for the party’s leadership.
But Ms. May argued that a leadership contest would disrupt preparations for an election which could take place as early as this fall.
She said in the e-mail that her favourite moment of the convention was a presentation by Don Drummond, the former chief economist of the Toronto-Dominion Bank, who graded the party’s policy document entitled Vision Green.
“He gave us a B+ - adding other parties get an F because they haven't put together a comprehensive doc like ours,” said Ms. May. “He also gave a list of specific changes he would like so we would get an A. he said our policy doc proved we were not a ‘one trick pony.’”
With the convention behind it, the party will now focus on election readiness, building local organizations and membership development, she said.
Ms. May said she will also continue with her own campaign for the federal seat in Saanich Gulf Islands which is currently held by Gary Lunn, the Conservative who is the Minister of State for Sport. It is “going well,” she said.
