Â鶹ӰÊÓ

Skip to main content

Green party executive launches membership review of its own leader, Annamie Paul

Share
Ottawa -

Green party executives have taken a first step toward suspending Annamie Paul's membership in the party she leads, the latest development in a feud that has threatened her future in the top job.

Dana Taylor, interim executive director of the Greens' main governing body, has kicked off a membership review that would suspend Paul's status and bar her from representing the party while it is underway, say three senior party sources. The Canadian Press granted the them anonymity because they were not authorized to speak about internal matters publicly.

The process, as outlined in the members' code of conduct, could ultimately result in Paul's party membership being revoked altogether, freezing her ability to lead a political party she would no longer belong to, ahead of a likely federal election this year.

The review emerged from a special meeting of the federal council Tuesday night, where Taylor announced the probe would go forward. Paul, who sits on the 13-member body, was not invited to the virtual meeting, the sources say.

They say the stated reason for the review is that Paul launched legal proceedings against the party, an accusation disputed by officials close to the leader. The code of conduct says legal action against the Green Party of Canada by one of its members automatically triggers a review headed by the executive director.

All three sources say the legal proceeding referred to in the membership review concerns a cease-and-desist letter sent from Paul's legal counsel to a federal council member or members. The details of the letter and whether it constitutes a legal action against the party -- and is thus grounds for a review -- remain unclear.

Taylor and party spokeswoman Rosie Emery both declined to comment, while Paul was not immediately available on Wednesday.

The membership review follows a months-long battle between party factions, in part over clashing views about how the party and its leader should respond to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Paul, who has led the party for nine months, faces a non-confidence vote by federal council on July 20 in a process distinct from the membership review. The non-confidence proposal requires three-quarters support in order to proceed to a party-wide vote the following month at a general meeting, where grassroots could render judgment on Paul's leadership.

Separately, the party brass has recently moved to withhold funding from Paul's campaign to win a downtown Toronto seat and temporarily laid off about half of the Green party's employees last week, including all staff in the leader's office.

All this has happened while the party recovers from New Brunswick MP Jenica Atwin crossing the floor to the Liberals last month, leaving the Greens with two seats in the House of Commons.

Last month, Paul fired back against party executives in response to an earlier move to push her out, calling them out for "racist" and "sexist" accusations that were included in a letter obtained by The Canadian Press. She is the first Black woman to lead a federal political party in Canada.

Green party membership can be revoked by a bare majority of council members present at a meeting following a review, the code of conduct says. The rules state that Paul, as a member of the federal council, would not be allowed to take part in any deliberations.

Membership rights are suspended until the matter is settled. A member is allowed 30 days to prepare their defence in front of party brass after being informed of a review.

The council is in an election period at the moment, with much of the current body poised to turn over as of Aug. 20. That leaves just enough time for executives to vote on their leader's status as a Green following her month-long defence period before they vacate their council seats.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 14, 2021.

IN DEPTH

Opinion

opinion

opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster

A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?

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.

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

Unusual flippered feet are making their way into the Saint Lawrence River this weekend. Led by underwater explorer and filmmaker Nathalie Lasselin, volunteer divers are combing the riverbed near Beauharnois in Montérégie to remove hundreds of tires that have been polluting the aquatic environment for decades.

A sea lion swam free after a rescue team disentangled it near Vancouver Island earlier this week.

Police have arrested an 18-year-old woman who allegedly stole a Porsche and then ran over its owner in an incident that was captured on video.

How to win the fight with kids over phone use

The end of the day — when school, extracurricular activities and homework are (hopefully) finally done — is the window that many kids have for downtime. It can be a struggle to convince them not to go on their phones.

Local Spotlight

Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.

Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.

They say a dog is a man’s best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.

A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.

Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.

The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.

It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.

Stay Connected