The only two Green Party MPs in parliament have threatened to quit the party and sit as independents if the party’s current leadership race is suspended, according to an internal email obtained by The Canadian Press.
Days after the party chairwoman resigned, saying her “optimism is dead”, Kitchener Center Congressman Mike Morrice worries about the current unrest in the Green ranks.
As the party’s federal council considered a pause in the leadership race and the closure of an office in Ottawa, Morrice’s office sent an email Friday to its top officials saying either decision would cause “irreversible damage”.
The party “can’t recover”, the email said, adding that the Greens are at a crossroads. “In that case, MPs would be prepared to quit the party and sit as independents.”
A Green Party spokesperson said on Monday discussions were ongoing and officials were trying to resolve the situation internally before making further public comments.
In a statement on Monday afternoon, Morrice said he was disappointed with the party’s infighting.
“I still believe that as a Green MP I am best placed to champion my constituency priorities and I have no intention of leaving the party. With the leadership race underway and a list of qualified candidates, I am hopeful that the party will continue to renew,” its statement said.
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Elizabeth May, the party’s former leader and its only other sitting MP, could not be reached for comment. May is running for leadership on a joint ticket with Jonathan Pedneault.
Anna Keenan and Chad Walcott, who are also running jointly for leadership, said they were pleased with the Federal Council’s decision to continue the race.
“We want to be able to focus our energy on the external issues that matter to Canadians,” said a statement posted on their website. “To be able to do this and end the endless cycle of controversy, our party needs to get its own house in order.”
Green Party MPs have threatened to leave and sit as independents if the leadership contest is suspended. #CDNPoli #GreenParty #GreenLeadership #GPC
Sarah Gabrielle Baron, another candidate, says she’s a teacher from Northern Ontario trying to tackle big issues – but she’s doing it when “my party seems to be falling apart around me”.
“It’s a private, internal party matter that has become very public and my team is still working on exactly what’s going on, so for now I’ll try to respect my party as they’re keeping this internal for now,” he said. she told reporters. Monday.
Late last week, party chair Lorraine Rekmans resigned in a letter telling members that “there is no vision for a better future”.
“I am leaving this party on my own terms,” Rekmans wrote. “I resigned on principle. I had no faith in the leadership candidates, and they had no faith in me, and I lost faith in the federal council.”
Morrice and four of the six leadership candidates had recently released a joint statement condemning the misgender of interim leader Amita Kuttner — who is transgender and non-binary — at a party Zoom event.
Kuttner clarified in her own statement that Rekmans herself did not misinterpret them and that they appreciated a quick apology from Rekmans on behalf of the party.
But Rekmans said in her resignation letter that she was kicked out and charged with causing damage following the incident.
She wrote that she had been marginalized, insulted and denigrated by leadership candidates and saw no way to continue as president when one of them would soon be the party’s main spokesperson.
The Greens launched a leadership race this summer to find a replacement for Annamie Paul, who stepped down after a disappointing performance in the 2021 election.
Her tenure was marked by internal conflict and she accused some party members of racism and sexism.
This report from The Canadian Press was first published on September 12, 2022.
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