OTTAWA — Former MP Mike Morrice is the only candidate left in the race for the leadership of the federal Green Party. Nira Dookeran announced Tuesday she was withdrawing from the contest “after much soul-searching,” citing personal and family reasons. The two were the only candidates to come out of the nomination period to replace Elizabeth May earlier this summer. “I want to express my best wishes to Mike Morrice, my fellow candidate in the leadership contest,” Dookeran said in her statement. “We, as a party, have a big job ahead of us.” Morrice was elected in Kitchener Centre in 2021 but lost to a Conservative candidate by fewer than 400 votes in the last federal election. He also finished in second place in the 2019 election, losing to the Liberals. In a statement, Morrice thanked Dookeran for running and said he’s awaiting word from the party about the next steps in his leadership bid. “The work continues as before: to grow the party, and in doing so, help build the movement needed to take on the billionaire class and fight for regular Canadians in the face of a worsening climate crisis,” Morrice said. “In recent weeks we’ve seen a surge in donations, volunteers and membership growth — all of which continue to be incredibly important to build our collective power.” This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 9, 2026. Nick Murray, The Canadian Press
