Annamie Paul makes history as the new political leader of Green Party

BY PAUL JUNOR

In many ways, the election of Annamie Paul as the first African Canadian leader of a federal party will permanently change the political landscape. She won the leadership over seven opponents on the last ballot during the election in late September. She will replace Elizabeth May who relinquished her position in November 2019 after thirteen years at the helm.

The rise of Annamie Paul to the top of this major party is a signal that things will be different in Ottawa. In a congratulatory speech she observes, “Tonight, we have to recognize that this is an historic moment. We as Greens, once again, we are leading the way. We have done something that has never been done before in Canadian politics, and I congratulate us.”

Annamie Paul was born to teacher Ena Daniel Paul, whose grandmother hails from Nevis and her father Peter Paul who was born in Dominica. She is a trained lawyer who was educated at the University of Ottawa Law School and Princeton University Master’s in Public Affairs. She has worked for the International Criminal Court and in the Canadian’s mission to the European Union.

She knows personally the devastation that COVID-19 has unleashed across Canada having lost her dad in May 2020. She observes, “He died in one of our long-term care facilities because of an avoidable infection. On the day he died, my sister called me in tears saying we have got to do better than this, Annamie we have got to know what a life is worth.”

Annamie Paul is cognizant of the significance of her leadership of the Green Party at this time in Canada. She states, “You have matched a leader to the challenges of this time. I also believe that we need to match a party to the needs of the moment, and there is no question that party is the Green Party of Canada.”

Annamie is of Jewish background and is fluent in: English, French, Spanish and Catalan. She is poised to shake up Ottawa as she outlined in her victory speech. She stated, “We are the party for this moment and when you look at our policies- the ones we are we were championing all on our own – other parties simply didn’t want to hear, didn’t want to talk about them. The flames that we kept burning all along, whether we are talking about long-term care reform, universal pharm care, a guaranteed liveable income – the Green party blazes the path that other parties follow and this is the moment where this kind of: innovative, evidence-based, daring political policy thinking is absolutely necessary.”

One of the first challenges that Annamie Paul will have to face is getting elected to the House of Commons. She will be the Green Party candidate in the by-election for Toronto Centre on October 26th, 2020. This is the seat previously occupied by former finance minister, Bill Morneau who resigned in August 2020.

This is the riding in which she was born. It has been a Liberal stronghold for the past 27 years and is considered a safe seat for the ruling party. There are currently three Green Party elected members of parliament in Ottawa, and she will definitely make history if she is elected. With a focus on green politics-environmentalism, social justice, gender equality, LGBTQ rights, anti-racism and Eco socialism, she will do well.