Photo: flickr/Laurel L. Russwurm

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Elizabeth May announced she will stay on as Green Party leader on Monday at a press conference on Pariliament Hill.

“After much reflection and consideration, I am honoured to continue to serve as leader of the Green Party of Canada,” said May in a statement before the press conference.

May considered stepping down after the Green Party voted to adopt a a policy resolution supporting the international Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.

While this move was lauded by many as a progressive step, May told rabble that she was “devatstated” by this decision.

“I don’t disagree that one can use sanctions to enforce international law. But a political party such as the Greens should not identify itself with a movement and a slogan that’s out of our control; that’s not part of our policy,” May told rabble at the World Social Forum in early August.

May echoed this statement again on Monday stating federal parties should not back this movement, however, noted she would continue to critically discuss Middle East politics despite her ongoing opposition to the motion.

May emphasized her desire to focus on electoral reform in Canada, specifically supporting consensus-based decision making rather than the current first-past-the-post system — a true value to the Greens. “We’re returning to those roots as a party,” May said.

May is a member of the all-party committee, The House of Commons Special Committee on Electoral Reform (ERRE), currently reviewing a possible new electoral system for Canada.

“[The Greens] have believed for a very long time as a party that our current voting system, first-past-the-post, is a perverse voting system and dangerous for Canada,” May told rabble in an interview on proportional representation in June.

“Canadian democracy will be healthier when the minority of voters cannot elect a majority government, when we have a system that encourages people to vote, that elects more women and minorities,” May said in the interview.

May also put an end to the speculation that she was considering leadership for another Canadian party.

“That was never even a consideration. I love my friends in the other parties but I am Green,” said May, in French, at the press conference.

 

Photo: flickr/Laurel L. Russwurm