Ottawa-
The interim leader of the Green Party has warned that the political far right in Canada is growing stronger thanks to people who are completely frustrated and who feel they no longer lead a meaningful life.
Amita Kuttner said the far right appeals to an undercurrent of Canadians who feel left out but who may not yet share the same hateful ideology as extremists.
Kuttner, who uses the pronouns they/them, warned that the far right masks its ideology to gain strength and attracts people unhappy with mainstream politics.
They said the Greens have traditionally been supported by “people who have just lost faith or never had it”. But they are concerned about the number of people in Canada who are “just completely vetted” and the far right might target them.
“One of the things that’s pulling people to the extreme right now is the simplicity of the messaging, but also the community,” Kuttner said in an interview.
They said far-right ideology is “hateful” and deals with misinformation, but it’s designed to feel like a space where people can connect and feel supported.
“There’s an undercurrent of people who are completely frustrated with everything and it’s because they no longer have access to a meaningful life,” they said. “Things are not getting better.”
Kuttner warned that the far right could benefit because a disgruntled group of Canadians believe “mainstream politics don’t work. They don’t give us solutions.”
Far-right organizers, Kuttner said, “say the things the malcontents want to hear in order to gain strength.”
The interim Green leader said it was important politicians find solutions that don’t leave people out or treat people like “extractable commodities”.
Kuttner, who is an astrophysicist from Vancouver, said since he was named interim leader in November last year, they have traveled the country meeting with Green members and community groups and trying to rebuild the party. .
The Greens suffered a devastating result in the last election, firing just two MPs after a campaign torn apart by infighting and sniper fire against former leader Annamie Paul, who resigned after the election. She said leading the Greens had been one of the worst experiences of her life.
But Kuttner said the very public infighting was not representative of the party.
“The meanness wasn’t a pervasive thing and it was limited to a pretty small group of people and some toxic Facebook groups,” Kuttner said. “It wasn’t what we looked like at all, but it became our image.”
They said that since becoming chiefs, they had experienced a bit of nastiness but swept it away. Overall, the experience of leading the Greens has been “inspiring”, they said.
“A big part of what I talked about on tour is creating space for people to organize and mobilize,” they said. “For you to bring people to a place where people experience joy and also feel that their work has an impact.”
The Green Party is beginning its search for a new permanent leader, but Kuttner, who identifies as non-binary, said he doesn’t want the full-time job.
On Tuesday, Kuttner announced in Ottawa the appointment of two Green Party deputy leaders: Angela Davidson, an Indigenous lawyer known for defending Vancouver Island’s ancient forests, and Luc Joli-Coeur, a former urban planning consultant who worked to the Government of Quebec. .
This report from The Canadian Press was first published on June 21, 2022.
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