Endorsements

When I heard the news that Elizabeth May was willing to enter the 2022 Green Party leadership race, I was over-joyed. But my initial reaction was somewhat tempered by concern. As a constituent of Salt Spring Island, Elizabeth has been my MP for the last eleven years. She is an outstanding MP, extremely effective and hard-working. I was concerned that she was sacrificing herself to take this on. So the news that she is in a shared campaign with Jonathan Pedneault made me even happier. Jonathan is an extraordinary young man, offering a fresh approach and energy to rebuilding the Greens. I urge all Green Party members to support the co-leadership platform of Elizabeth and Jonathan and will be telling all my friends to be sure to join the Greens before September 14 to be able to vote in the first round of voting.

Robert Bateman

painter, author and naturalist

I support Elizabeth May’s return as co-leader of the Green Party of Canada. Long ago Elizabeth raised her head above the political noise in this country and for years has built a reputation as the most factual, reliable and fearless voice for this planet and all it’s creatures including us humans. Respected around the world, Elizabeth is the backbone of the Green Party of Canada, and it’s natural leader.

Bill Henderson

Singer, songwriter, and music producer. lead singer “Chilliwack”

A lot of people in politics will decry the brutal abuse of Palestinian rights as a matter of rhetoric, but few take it on so personally. I have known Elizabeth May as a friend for several decades. I know her to be both brilliant and profoundly committed to environmental and human rights, to speaking truth to power, no matter the consequences. I also know her to be someone who offers a helping hand to people suffering abhorrent human rights abuses in the West Bank and Gaza at the hands of the Israeli military. Several years ago, I asked her if she could help me get a young Palestinian man I admired greatly in Gaza to get out of the region. She didn’t hesitate. She delivered, and very generously. She went to work to get this young man a letter from the Egyptian Ambassador to Canada so he would be allowed to leave the open air prison that is Gaza. After several attempts, this Palestianian man was able to escape; she then offered to help him get his student visa in order to attend a Canadian college, and even helped with his tuition, donating thousands of dollars from her own pocket. When this young Palestinian man was granted a US visa instead and received a refund from the Canadian college, she donated that money for this man’s US schooling. She has never asked for a penny back. She did this without having ever met the man. But she believed in him based on the plea I made on this man’s behalf, and did so wanting to help save his life and get him out of Gaza. Years later, this young man is repaying her in the best way possible: He has graduated with high honors from university, and is now safe and working on international human rights with an NGO in Washington DC. I thought Canadian voters ought to know: MP May’s actions on behalf of Palestinians speak louder than words.

Daphne Whysham

CEO, Methane Action

More than ever, the Greens perspective needs to be vibrantly articulated to Canadians in every channel possible, including mainstream media. That is the primary function of the Party Leader, to be its face and voice. Elizabeth May is simply unparalleled in that core competency. No one has the history and experience that Elizabeth has. I have no doubt she will ably apprentice Jonathan in this to ensure a strong partner in leadership.

For those reasons, and having worked closely with Ms. May in the Green Party for several years, I am endorsing the team of Elizabeth May and Jonathan Pedneault.

Nancy Zimmerman

Past Northern Rep, Federal Council

Do you know what I think is amazing? Elizabeth May is sharing her email contacts with the other leadership contestants so they can reach a broader audience. I think it’s amazing that Elizabeth recognizes the sincerity, strength, and commitment of the other contestants to the extent that, if she
becomes the next leader, she would like to offer each of them a role so they can contribute their energy and ideas. Does that happen in other parties? Elizabeth can lead without needing to conquer. I like that.

When Elizabeth talks, I listen. Her messages and proposals are so logical and well-informed. When Elizabeth talks, parliamentarians listen. They know she speaks from the heart and from knowledge and conviction. Elizabeth is giving her all on our behalf to try to save the planet while other politicians dabble and dither. Her voice will be amplified as the leader of the Green Party of Canada.

If Canada and the world were not in a crisis, Elizabeth could go home and live happily ever after. I appreciate so much that she is willing to take the reins again to steer us to success. She wants only the best for people, and the planet. Elizabeth has a deep understanding of the needs and processes at work. I’m giving her my support. I can see the MAY in aMAYzing. Can you?

Bev Bacon

Member

Elizabeth May inspired me to join the Greens in 2019 to run as a candidate in the federal election. She has always been very encouraging of my political journey and takes time out of her ridiculously busy schedule to check in with me on how I’m doing and how we can work together. I appreciate that she is an approachable leader and committed to communicating the Green vision and message in Parliament.

Evelyn Tanaka

Candidate of record Calgary Shepard 2019 and 2021,
President of the Green Party of Alberta

Elizabeth May is the best Prime Minister we’ve never had.

With the possible exception of David Suzuki, no-one has done more to alert Canadians to the climate crisis than Elizabeth May. No-one.

Bob Bossin

Canadian Folksinger

I was thrilled to hear that Elizabeth has put her name into the leadership race, in her usual collaborative way as a co-leader of the Green Party. She is doing this not out of ambition but out of her lifelong commitment to change the course of climate policy in our country and the world. Along with her passion to save our planet, she’s as smart and big-hearted as an Orca, as conscious of the needs of her kin (i.e., all of us) as a wolf, as hard-working as a worker bee, as tenacious and clever as a raven. I feel so lucky as a Canadian and an Earthling to claim her as my politician and to welcome her in the leadership race for the Green Party.

Lorna Crozier

Officer Order of Canada, Canadian poet

I have turned to and collaborated with Elizabeth on human rights issues literally across the globe, for more than twenty years, in her roles as both a political and civil society leader. The word that immediately comes to mind is universal. Be it individual cases of people wrongly imprisoned or pressing crises in particular countries, her only consideration has always been to ensure that human rights are upheld, for all people. And she has not shied away from situations that will draw critics, including her strong push back against national security excesses in the ‘war on terror’, entrenched violations associated with Israel’s occupation of Palestine, and abuses stemming from the overseas operations of Canadian extractives companies.

Alex Neve, OC (pronouns, he/him)

Honoured to live, work and advocate for human rights from the unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishnaabeg people
Senior Fellow, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, University of Ottawa
Adjunct Professor, Faculties of Law, University of Ottawa and Dalhousie University

With age comes wisdom, and Elizabeth May has deftly and wisely led the Green Party of Canada for many years. But we have lost the luxury of time when dealing with the climate emergency. So it’s time to try something new. Jonathan Pedneault embodies our hope for a Greener Canada, and together with Elizabeth, as co-leads, we stand a chance of beating the clock. There is magic in the old and magic in the new; the trick now is to successfully combine the two.

Claire Martin

Former CBC national meteorologist

I first met Elizabeth in a Church basement in the riding of Central Nova, Nova Scotia. From that moment on I decided I would do what I could to help this amazing woman get to Parliament for all our sakes. After a few years and a relocation to the West Coast, I remember clearly being woken in the night to be told ‘she won’!! Something I will never forget.

Elizabeth has been the most brilliant, honest, hardworking member of our party I have ever met. Never once have I been disappointed by her service to us. As much as I would love to see her retire, with her soulmate John, I know that if she is up for the hard road ahead then so am I. Once again, Elizabeth may face the odds but now she has Jonathan by her side. I will be supporting team May – Pedneault in 2022.

Helen Chenell

Member and Volunteer since 2004

Until 2010, I voted either Liberal or NDP, depending on which party was running the most environmentally aware candidate. I didn’t feel comfortable with either party. Then in 2010 something wonderful happened. Elizabeth May came to Saanich Gulf Islands (SGI) and I attended an event where she spoke about the Green Party of Canada. Within a few minutes I realized I had found my political home.

Inspired by Elizabeth, I took out membership and canvassed in all the following elections. It is easy to knock on doors in SGI because Elizabeth is so well respected even by members of other parties. Even my right-wing Conservative neighbour confessed that he “donates to Elizabeth May, because she says things in Parliament that others should be saying”.

I feel fortunate to have Elizabeth May as my MP, and I am convinced that Elizabeth and Jonathan will make a strong, successful leadership team.

Shelagh Levey

Member and Constituent

We not only want Elizabeth; we need Elizabeth as the Leader of the Green Party of Canada. Elizabeth is amongst the most ethical persons I know, and she has been and continues to be an inspiration for Greens, and maybe even more important, for non-Greens. The way forward has always been with a co-leadership, and I am very happy to see Jonathan as a fresh complement.

The international green movement is larger than all of us, and we need to be more pragmatic. Hence, we need the wisdom of an experienced leader to rebuild. Elizabeth has never stopped being an inspiration. Together with Jonathan, we can get to real business. Enough dreaming, let’s get to the real need, participation in government.

Thomas Trappenberg, PhD

Professor of AI and Computational Neuroscience,
Former leader of the Green Party of Nova Scotia,
Former NS rep on council,
5 times federal and 6 times provincial candidate

As a scientist and academic, I decided to run for Parliament with the Greens because Elizabeth asked me. What we have in common is both being arrested opposing the Kinder Morgan pipeline. When she was leader, we had inspired and inspiring campaigns. I strongly urge members to ensure she and her co-leader partner Jonathan Pedneault are chosen to rebuild our party.

Lynne Quarmby

Professor, Molecular Biology & Biochemistry, Simon Fraser University,
Author: Watermelon Snow