Green leader Annamie Paul rejects calls to resign as party tees up non-confidence vote
OTTAWA -- Green Party Leader Annamie Paul is brushing off calls for her ouster as the party’s governing body lines up a future vote that could see her removed from her post. In a press conference Tuesday, Paul she was given a “strong mandate” and has been given “instructions” to continue to work on behalf of Canadians for a green recovery, despite internal disputes that have left some members questioning her leadership.
The head of the Green Party of Quebec told CTVNews.ca there is an “open contestation” of Paul’s direction by membership, management, and candidates. “Annamie Paul has not pursued a unification process following her election as leader of the party about eight months ago,” Alex Tyrrell said on Tuesday. “There’s a bit of a communication problem and [she] is going against a lot of important values to Green Party members.” He said there will be meeting tonight to discuss the situation and the federal council will vote “on non-confidence probably in 30 days from now.”
Calls for her removal surfaced following the decision by former Green MP Jenica Atwin to cross the floor and join the Liberal caucus la last week.The “catalyst” for her departure fr from the party was an internal feud between M MPs and a now-outgoing senior adviser to Paul over social media posts related to the Israeli-Palestinian l l conflict. fl
Atwin had maintained that she stands by her pro-Palestinian position, and was hurt by the accusation made that she was antiSemitic. She said she’s been told there is a difference of opinion among Liberals and believes there will be an opportunity within her new caucus to have a more “healthy discussion and debate” than was possible with her former team.
On Monday, she struck a different tone, tweeting “Palestinians are suffering. Israelis are also suffering as well as their loved ones in Canada and around the world. No one wins with war. I regret if my choice of words caused harm to those who are suffering.” Paul on Tuesday underscored that she has never had a conversation with Atwin about the Middle East conflict. .