Greens’ interim leader hopes for clear victory in leadership decision

OTTAWA — Interim federal Green Party Leader Jo-Ann Roberts says she is hoping for a clear winner Saturday when the party’s new leader is elected, to put to rest concerns the race was not legitimate.

The eight-month contest to succeed Elizabeth May will culminate this weekend at an event in Ottawa, where one of eight candidates will take the party’s top job.

But events in the last two weeks have clouded the race: Montreal immigration lawyer Meryam Haddad was temporarily expelled, and former Winnipeg mayor Glen Murray discovered the party hadn’t forwarded all the donations meant for his campaign.

Roberts said she is concerned by some of the things that happened but doesn’t think it will mean whoever wins won’t have a legitimate victory.

She said the party handled those problems as well as it could, even if she is disappointed any of it happened.

“I’m the first one to admit that,” she said. “I don’t think it’s changed the legitimacy. I think when people hear the results, it will be great we’ve chosen a new leader. I hope it is a clear-cut choice in the end.”

A bigger problem facing the party may be unity, with not all candidates promising to throw their full support to anyone who wins.

Murray, also a former Ontario Liberal cabinet minister who is seeking to return to politics to push for bolder action on climate change, said he may not seek a seat if Montreal class-action lawyer Dimitri Lascaris wins.

“”I would stay involved in the party but I’m not sure I’d be ready to be a candidate under that circumstance,” he said.