Green leader says party turmoil 'time-limited,' asks members to 'look to the future'
Green Party Leader Annamie Paul says the internal disputes clouding the party are “time-limited” and is pleading with members and supporters to keep their eyes on the future.
During the official launch of her campaign office in Toronto on Thursday, Paul said the attempt to overturn an arbitrator’s decision to shut down a non-confidence vote on her leadership isn’t reflective of the sentiment of the party’s entire federal council, or governing body.
“These are the actions of a small group of outgoing councillors, this was not actually sanctioned by our federal council, it is not an action that came before our federal council and so I am asking people to just have patience,” she told reporters.
“Look to the future, this is something that is extremely time-limited and we have a very bright future beginning next month. We have a new set of councillors, every day we are approving more candidates for the next election.”
In documents submitted Wednesday to the Ontario Superior Court, the party claims that Paul submitted a Notice of Request to Arbitrate on July 7, which included “an order to quash a non-confidence vote on her leadership,” scheduled to take place on July 20.
The arbitrator, Earl Cherniak, ordered on July 15 that a non-confidence motion would not proceed before the party’s general meeting in August and that the party must post this update to its website.
The party is now arguing that while Paul’s employment agreement offers arbitration relief for disputes and controversies, that agreement is made with the Green Party of Canada Fund – the party’s legal and financial body – not the Green Party itself, so applying an arbitration order on the party is wrong.
“The arbitrator made an error in jurisdiction and therefore in law. The [order] purports to restrain the Green Party which is not a signatory to the Employment Agreement,” the documents read.
It also states that the arbitrator sought to “limit the activities, decisions and communications of members and the membership of the Green Party.”
Paul dodged questions about whether she would file a legal response in court, only reiterating that she wouldn’t discuss issues internal party matters or issues that are “not supposed to be in the public domain.”
“I’m not going to be distracted any further from the work that has to be done,” she said, adding that her main objective is to provide Green volunteers, members, and candidates with the support they need in the event of an election campaign.
“Our party is one whose voice is needed. The voice of more Green MPs is needed because when we have that, we have more people that are in Parliament that are thinking about the people who elected them, we have more people thinking about the climate,” she said.
She noted that her team is on track to run the most diverse slate of candidates in the party’s history as they look to find representation in all 338 ridings.
Should an election be called this summer or fall, as many in Ottawa predict, Paul will go head-to-head yet again with incumbent Liberal MP Marci Ien who won the Toronto Centre byelection last fall to succeed former finance minister Bill Morneau. Paul lost out to Morneau in the 2019 federal election.
There will be an automatic party leadership review after the next election.
“My job is to help us turn the page as quickly as possible so that we can get back to the issues that matter as quickly as possible,” Paul said.
Former party leader Elizabeth May addressed the internal disputes, telling media on Tuesday that the “rumours” about her involvement in party power struggles have pushed her to clarify she has no role in any of the Greens' governing bodies.
May said she did have first-hand knowledge of Green MP Jenica Atwin's defection to the Liberals last month, a loss of one-third of the Green caucus that May called “painful” but no cause for “misplaced anger, blame and name-calling.”
Atwin crossed the floor following "irreconcilable" differences in opinion with Paul over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
May says she fully supports the Green Party, adding simply that “our leader is Annamie Paul and only our members have authority to call that into question.”
Paul said she is not “feuding” with anyone and contrary to the popular narrative, "there is no infighting going on. This is really a one-sided attack that is focusing attention where it shouldn't be."
With files from The Canadian Press.
IN DEPTH
Former prime minister Brian Mulroney dies at 84
Former Canadian prime minister and Conservative stalwart Brian Mulroney has died at age 84. Over his impressive career, the passionate and ambitious politician, businessman, husband, father, and grandfather left an unmistakable mark on the country.
Who is supporting, opposing new online harms bill?
Now that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's sweeping online harms legislation is before Parliament, allowing key stakeholders, major platforms, and Canadians with direct personal experience with abuse to dig in and see what's being proposed, reaction is streaming in. CTVNews.ca has rounded up reaction, and here's how Bill C-63 is going over.
As Poilievre sides with Smith on trans restrictions, former Conservative candidate says he's 'playing with fire'
Siding with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith on her proposed restrictions on transgender youth, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre confirmed Wednesday that he is against trans and non-binary minors using puberty blockers.
The first public hearings on foreign interference in Canada have begun. What you need to know
The public hearings portion of the federal inquiry into foreign interference in Canadian elections and democratic institutions got underway this week. Heading into this process, here's what you need to know.
TREND LINE What Nanos' tracking tells us about Canadians' mood, party preference heading into 2024
Heading into a new year, Canadians aren't feeling overly optimistic about the direction the country is heading, with the number of voters indicating negative views about the federal government's performance at the highest in a decade, national tracking from Nanos Research shows.
Opinion
opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike
When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.
opinion Don Martin: Pierre Poilievre's road to apparent victory will soon start to get rougher
Pierre Poilievre and his Conservatives appear to be on cruise control to a rendezvous with the leader's prime ministerial ambition, but in his latest column for CTVNews.ca, Don Martin questions whether the Conservative leader may be peaking too soon.
opinion Don Martin: The Trudeau lessons from Brian Mulroney's legacy start with walking away
Justin Trudeau should pay very close attention to the legacy treatment afforded former prime minister Brian Mulroney, who died on Thursday at age 84, writes columnist Don Martin.
opinion Don Martin: ArriveCan debacle may be even worse than we know from auditor's report
It's been 22 years since a former auditor general blasted the Chretien government after it 'broke just about every rule in the book' in handing out private sector contracts in the sponsorship scandal. In his column for CTVNews.ca, Don Martin says the book has been broken anew with everything that went on behind the scenes of the 'dreaded' ArriveCan app.
opinion Don Martin: Despite his horrible year, Trudeau's determined to roll the dice again
In his column for CTVNews.ca, political commentator Don Martin says you can't help but admire Justin Trudeau's defiance and audacity of hope despite his 'horrible' 2023, as it appears Trudeau is insisting on leading the Liberals into the next federal election.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NDP motion regarding Palestinian statehood passes after major Liberal alterations
A motion from the federal New Democrats initially calling on Canada to recognize the 'State of Palestine' passed amid widespread acrimony on Monday, after the Liberals drastically altered its wording to see the government simply work towards that aim as part of a two-state solution.
'He didn't want to die': Family of Calgary man killed in standoff speaks out
Family of a Calgary man killed after a 30-hour standoff with police last week are speaking out, sharing details of the tense and heart-wrenching experience.
Toronto family doctor who called patient's body 'perfect' suspended for 3 months: tribunal
A family doctor in Toronto has been suspended for three months after a disciplinary tribunal found that he failed to follow proper protocols while examining a patient's breasts and made inappropriate comments about her body.
Ohio mom who left toddler alone 10 days when she went on vacation pleads guilty to aggravated murder
An Ohio mother whose 16-month-old daughter died after being left home alone in a playpen for 10 days last summer while she went on vacation was sentenced Monday to life in prison with no chance of parole.
Retired teacher pleads guilty to paying for sex with 15-year-old in Collingwood, Ont.
In a Barrie courtroom on Monday, a retired high school teacher from the Niagara Region pleaded guilty to sexual touching and obtaining sexual services from a 15-year-old boy in Collingwood in 2021.
Hertz CEO out following electric car 'horror show'
The company, which announced in January it was selling 20,000 of the electric vehicles in its fleet, or about a third of the EVs it owned, is now replacing the CEO who helped build up that fleet, giving it the company’s fifth boss in just four years.
5 charged in Calgary kidnappings that targeted women
Calgary police have charged five men in a pair of kidnappings last year that targeted innocent victims.
Demand soars for solar eclipse glasses in Canada. Are they worth buying?
The demand for total solar eclipse glasses used to safely view the rare celestial event has been ramping up as sellers, along with astronomy and eye-care experts in Canada, warn that viewing the eclipse with the naked eye is dangerous.
Canadian commander of volunteer fighter group dies in Ukraine
A Canadian-born commander of the so-called Norman Brigade, a volunteer fighting group in Ukraine, has died.