On a surprisingly warm September afternoon in Victoria, Elizabeth May stood before a crowd of supporters, her voice catching slightly as she announced what many had anticipated for months. The long-time Green Party leader, who has guided the environmental movement through nearly two decades of Canadian political wilderness, declared her intention to step aside.
Then came the unexpected twist.
“While I believe fresh leadership will invigorate our movement, I haven’t completely closed the door on continuing to serve,” May told the assembled crowd at the waterfront event. The ambiguity in her statement sent immediate ripples through the party’s rank and file.
This apparent contradiction – announcing plans to step down while simultaneously hinting at staying on – exemplifies the complicated relationship between May and the party she has led through multiple electoral cycles. According to Green Party insiders who spoke on condition of anonymity, May’s announcement reflects ongoing tensions about succession planning within an organization that has struggled to move beyond its founder’s outsized influence.
“Elizabeth has been both our greatest strength and, in some ways, our greatest challenge,” said Jamie Kardashian, a former Green organizer in British Columbia. “Her knowledge and passion are unmatched, but there’s a growing sense that for the party to evolve, new voices need to emerge.”
May’s leadership has weathered significant storms. After stepping back as leader in 2019, she returned to the position in 2022 following Annamie Paul’s tumultuous tenure. The party’s membership subsequently approved a co-leadership model, with May sharing duties with Jonathan Pedneault, though constitutional limitations meant only May held the official title.
Recent polling from Abacus Data shows the Greens hovering around 4% support nationally – a figure that has remained relatively static despite climate concerns rising on voters’ priority lists. This stagnation has fueled internal debates about whether May’s continued presence helps or hinders the party’s growth potential.
“The Greens face a classic Canadian political dilemma,” explains Dr. Melissa Chen, political scientist at Simon Fraser University. “They need their well-known leader for public recognition, but that same prominence can overshadow developing the next generation of leadership.”
At Hillside Coffee in downtown Ottawa, a group of parliamentary staffers discuss May’s announcement with the kind of insider knowledge that comes from working within the political ecosystem. “The timing isn’t accidental,” notes one NDP staffer. “With the next federal election likely in late 2025, May is positioning the party to have this conversation now rather than in the heat of a campaign.”
The question of succession has particular urgency given the Green Party’s precarious financial situation. Elections Canada filings from the previous quarter show the party raising just $427,000 – significantly behind the Liberals’ $4.2 million and the Conservatives’ $6.1 million during the same period.
Mike Morrice, the Green MP from Kitchener Centre, has been frequently mentioned as a potential successor. His 2021 victory represented a rare breakthrough for the party outside its Vancouver Island stronghold. When reached for comment, Morrice praised May’s contributions but carefully sidestepped questions about his own leadership ambitions.
“Elizabeth has been the heart and soul of this movement for years,” Morrice said during a phone interview while traveling between constituency events. “My focus remains on representing my community and advancing climate legislation that transcends partisan politics.”
The Green Party’s challenges extend beyond leadership questions. Its traditional focus on environmental issues has been partially co-opted by mainstream parties, while its attempts to expand its policy platform to include social justice and economic reform have sometimes muddled its message.
At a Tim Hortons in Fredericton, where the Greens have enjoyed provincial success, retired teacher Margaret Wilson expressed the conflicted feelings many Green supporters share. “May put them on the map, and she’s brilliant in debates, but sometimes I wonder if they’re stuck in a holding pattern because of her.”
Internal party documents obtained by Mediawall.news reveal ongoing debates about campaign strategy for the next election. Some factions advocate focusing resources on 10-15 winnable ridings, while others push for a national presence to maintain the party’s official status.
Financial realities may force the more targeted approach. Party treasurer Kevin Dunbar acknowledged in a recent membership call that “difficult decisions lie ahead if we want to mount an effective campaign.”
May’s potential reversal also highlights the deeply personal nature of her connection to the party. Having devoted nearly two decades to building an environmental political movement in a system often hostile to smaller parties, the prospect of stepping away completely clearly weighs heavily.
“I’ve watched Elizabeth grapple with this decision for months,” said former Parliamentary Secretary Debra Eindiguer. “The party is intertwined with her identity in ways outsiders might not fully appreciate.”
As evening settled over Victoria’s harbor after May’s announcement, supporters mingled, their conversations a mix of nostalgia and nervous anticipation. “Whatever comes next, we need to remember why we joined this movement,” said 72-year-old volunteer Jeanette Martinez. “It was never just about one person. It was about fighting for a livable planet.”
For a party founded on long-term thinking, the immediate future remains surprisingly unclear. May has promised further clarification in coming weeks, but the Green Party’s direction heading into a potential 2025 election appears as unpredictable as the climate patterns they have long warned about.
And perhaps that’s fitting for a political movement that has always operated slightly outside the conventional framework, guided by a leader who continues to defy easy categorization or political retirement timetables.
