Annamie Paul, the leader of the federal Green Party of Canada announced her resignation this morning in Toronto.
Paul held a press conference in a park to make the announcement.
“I asked myself whether this was something I wanted to continue. Whether to have to fight and struggle just to fulfill my democratically elected role as leader of this party,” she said. “I just don’t have the heart for it.”
The Greens had a unimpressive performance this federal election marred by infighting and Paul lost her bid for the Toronto Centre riding to Liberal Marci Ien, coming in fourth. This was the third time she has not been able to win the riding.
The Greens won two seats in the 2021 election, the least of all major political parties. Overall the Green Party received just 2.3 per cent of the popular vote, less than half the 6.55 per cent they received in the previous election.
Paul took over the leadership of the party from Elizabeth May in 2020, becoming the first Black person and first Jewish woman to lead a major political party in Canada.
Prior to the election, Paul overcame a bid to oust her as leader and faced an automatic leadership review following the ballot.
