Annamie Paul Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Annamie Paul
Paul in 2020

Leader of the Green Party of Canada
In office October 3, 2020 – November 14, 2021
Preceded by	Jo-Ann Roberts (interim)
Succeeded by	Amita Kuttner (interim)

Personal details
Born	(1972-11-03) November 3, 1972 (age 52) Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Political party	Green (until 2021)
Spouse	Mark Freeman (m. 1996)
Relatives	Ngozi Paul (sister)
Alma mater	University of Ottawa (LLB) Princeton University (MPAff)

Annamie Paul (born November 3, 1972) is a Canadian activist, lawyer, and former politician. She was the leader of the Green Party of Canada from 2020 to 2021. She made history as the first Black Canadian and first Jewish woman to lead a major federal political party in Canada.

Paul also founded the Canadian Centre for Political Leadership. She worked in civic engagement and international affairs. This included roles with Canada's Mission to the European Union. She also worked at the Office of the Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court.

Paul first ran for election in 2019 in Toronto Centre. She became the Green Party leader in 2020. She won the Green Party of Canada leadership election. She took over from Elizabeth May. Paul ran in the 2020 Toronto Centre federal by-election but was defeated. She ran again in 2021. This meant she was the only federal party leader who was not a Member of Parliament (MP).

Before the 2021 federal election, Paul faced challenges within her party. In the 2021 Canadian federal election, the Green Party kept two seats. Paul finished fourth in her own district. On September 27, 2021, Paul started the process to resign as party leader. She officially left the role by November 14.

Annamie Paul's Early Life and Education
Helping Communities and the World
Her Path in Politics
Leading the Green Party of Canada (2020–2021)
Awards and Recognitions
Images for kids
See Also

Annamie Paul's Early Life and Education

Annamie Paul started getting involved in politics at a young age. At 12, she worked as a page in the Ontario Legislature. Later, she was a page at the Canadian Senate. She also interned with the Ontario Legislature Internship Programme (OLIP) in 1996.

She went to high school at Toronto's Runnymede Collegiate Institute. Paul earned a law degree from the University of Ottawa. She also has a Master of Public Affairs degree from Princeton University. She became a lawyer in Ontario in 1998.

Paul is the older sister of Canadian actress Ngozi Paul. She is also a twin. She is married to Mark Freeman, an international human rights lawyer. They have two sons. Her mother is from Nevis and her father from Dominica. Paul converted to Judaism in 2000. She speaks English, French, Catalan, and Spanish.

Helping Communities and the World

In 2001, Paul started the Canadian Centre for Political Leadership (CCPL). This group aimed to help women, Indigenous people, and people of colour get involved in public roles. Through the CCPL, Paul held training sessions across Canada. These sessions helped people get elected or appointed to important positions.

In 2017, Paul co-founded the Barcelona International Public Policy Hub (BIPP HUB). This was a special workspace for international groups working on global issues. It supported projects like democracia Abierta, which focuses on open democracy. It also helped Verificat, a fact-checking service, and the Climate Infrastructure Project.

In 2019, Paul helped create the 1834 Fellowship. This program trains young Black Canadian leaders in policy. It is part of Operation Black Vote Canada.

Her Path in Politics

Paul interned for a Liberal politician, Dominic Agostino, in 1996. She wanted to learn how political campaigns worked.

Paul moved back to Canada in 2019. She became the Green Party candidate for Toronto Centre in July 2019. She ran in the 2019 Canadian federal election but lost to Bill Morneau. Soon after, she became the Green Party's International Affairs Critic. She held this role until February 2020.

In March 2020, she was the first person to sign up to run for the leader of the Green Party. She saw this election as a chance for the party to grow. On September 24, 2020, Paul announced she would run in the October 2020 federal by-election in Toronto Centre.

Leading the Green Party of Canada (2020–2021)

On October 3, 2020, Annamie Paul was chosen as the leader of the Green Party of Canada. She was the first Black Canadian and first Jewish woman to lead a major Canadian political party. She won with 54.53 percent of the votes.

On October 26, Paul came in second in the Toronto Centre by-election. She significantly increased the Green Party's vote share. In January 2021, Paul decided to run in the next federal election in an Ontario riding. She later confirmed she would run again in Toronto Centre.

Challenges During Her Leadership

In May 2021, the Green Party website shared a statement about the conflict in Israel and Palestine. Paul asked for peace and calm. Some party members felt the statement did not go far enough. This led to disagreements within the party. Paul's senior advisor, Noah Zatzman, made a statement that caused further division.

This situation led to some members leaving the party. One MP, Jenica Atwin, joined the Liberal Party. The other Green Party MPs, Elizabeth May and Paul Manly, said that the issues created a crisis. Zatzman was later no longer working for the party.

Candidate Selection Issues

In June 2021, some Green Party members raised concerns about how candidates were being chosen. For example, Judy N. Green, a former candidate, said she was blocked from running. Another person, Lisa Gunderson, withdrew from a nomination contest. She felt that recent events did not match Green Party values.

Resignation from Leadership

Paul announced she would resign as Green Party leader on September 27, 2021. Her resignation became official on November 14, 2021. She also ended her membership in the party.

After her departure, a report showed the party was facing financial difficulties. They had lost many monthly donors and members. The report suggested that the negotiations around Paul's departure led to high legal costs for the party.

Awards and Recognitions

Annamie Paul has received several honors. She is an Action Canada Fellow and an Echoing Green Fellow. She is also a member of the University of Ottawa Common Law Honour Society. Paul is an alumna of the Government of Canada Recruitment of Policy Leaders Program. She also received the Harry Jerome Award.