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.

Before becoming a party leader, Annamie Paul worked in different important roles. She founded the Canadian Centre for Political Leadership. She also worked in international affairs, including for Canada's mission to the European Union. She also worked at the International Criminal Court, which deals with serious international crimes.

Annamie Paul first ran for election in 2019 in the Toronto Centre area. She became the Green Party leader in 2020, taking over from Elizabeth May. She ran again in Toronto Centre in 2020 and 2021 but was not elected as a Member of Parliament (MP). This meant she was the only federal party leader whose party had MPs, but she herself was not an MP.

Her time as leader faced some challenges, including disagreements within the party. In the 2021 Canadian federal election, the Green Party kept two seats in Parliament. Annamie Paul decided to step down as leader in September 2021, and her resignation was final by November 14, 2021.

Annamie Paul's Early Life and Education

Annamie Paul started getting involved in politics at a young age. When she was 12, she worked as a page in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, which is where laws are made for the province of Ontario. She also worked as a page in the Canadian Senate, which is part of Canada's Parliament.

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

Family Background

Annamie Paul has a twin brother named Luther and an older sister, Ngozi Paul, who is a Canadian actress. Annamie Paul is married to Mark Freeman, who is an international human rights lawyer. They have two sons. Her mother is from Nevis, and her father was from Dominica. In 2000, she converted to Judaism, which is her husband's faith. She can speak English, French, Catalan, and Spanish.

Helping Communities and the World

Annamie Paul has worked to help people get involved in politics and solve global problems.

Supporting Future Leaders

In 2001, Annamie Paul started the Canadian Centre for Political Leadership (CCPL). This group helped women, Indigenous people, and people of colour get ready to run for public office. Through the CCPL, she held training sessions and conferences across Canada. Many people who participated in these programs went on to hold important positions in government and on various boards.

Working on Global Challenges

In 2017, Annamie Paul helped create the Barcelona International Public Policy Hub (BIPP HUB). This was a shared workspace for international non-profit groups working on big global issues. It helped these groups work together and supported projects like a fact-checking service and a project focused on climate change solutions.

In 2019, she also helped start the 1834 Fellowship. This program trains young Black Canadian leaders in how to create public policies. It was part of a larger effort called Operation Black Vote Canada.

Annamie Paul's Path to Political Leadership

Annamie Paul moved back to Canada from Barcelona in 2019. She soon became the Green Party candidate for Toronto Centre.

First Federal Election Campaign

She ran in the 2019 Canadian federal election in Toronto Centre. She lost to the Liberal candidate, who was then the Finance Minister. After this, Elizabeth May, who was the Green Party leader at the time, appointed Annamie Paul as the party's critic for International Affairs. This meant she spoke for the party on global issues.

Running for Green Party Leader

In March 2020, Annamie Paul was the first person to sign up to run for the 9th leader of the Green Party of Canada. She saw this leadership race as a chance for the party to grow and become stronger. Elizabeth May even offered to step aside from her own riding to let Annamie Paul run there. Annamie Paul decided to run again in Toronto Centre in a special election in October 2020.

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. This was a historic moment, as she was the first Black Canadian and first Jewish woman to lead a major political party in Canada. She won with 54.53% of the votes in the final round.

In the special election for Toronto Centre on October 26, Annamie Paul came in second place. She significantly increased the Green Party's share of the vote compared to the 2019 election. In early 2021, she confirmed she would run again in Toronto Centre in the next federal election.

Challenges During Her Leadership

In May 2021, there were some disagreements within the Green Party. This happened after a statement was published on the party's website about a conflict in the Middle East. Some party members felt the statement did not go far enough. Annamie Paul's senior advisor made a controversial statement, which caused a split within the party.

One Green Party MP, Jenica Atwin, later left the party and joined the Liberal Party. The other Green Party MPs, Elizabeth May and Paul Manly, said that the advisor's statement had caused this problem. The advisor was later fired.

Party Discussions and Decisions

By June 2021, some members of the Green Party's federal council wanted to hold a vote to remove Annamie Paul as leader. Annamie Paul said that the council had decided to cancel this vote. However, the interim president of the party suggested this was not true. The party faced financial challenges during this time, partly due to legal costs related to discussions about Annamie Paul's leadership.

Stepping Down as Leader

Annamie Paul announced on September 27, 2021, that she would be resigning as Green Party leader. Her resignation officially took effect on November 14, 2021, after discussions about financial matters were settled. She also ended her membership with the party.

After her departure, a report from the party in late November 2021 showed that it was facing financial difficulties. The party had lost many monthly donors and members. The report stated that the negotiations about Annamie Paul's departure had led to significant legal costs.

Awards and Recognitions

Annamie Paul has received several awards and fellowships for her work. 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. She was part of the Government of Canada Recruitment of Policy Leaders Program. She also received the Harry Jerome Award, which recognizes excellence in the Black Canadian community.

Electoral Results

2020 Green Party of Canada leadership election results by round

Candidate		1st round		2nd round		3rd round		4th round		5th round		6th round		7th round		8th round
		Votes cast	%	Votes cast	%	Votes cast	%	Votes cast	%	Votes cast	%	Votes cast	%	Votes cast	%	Votes cast	%
	Annamie Paul	6,242	26.14%	6,242	26.16%	6,305	26.24%	6,478	27.23%	6,952	29.44%	7,614	32.52%	8,862	38.52%	12,090	54.53%
	Dimitri Lascaris	5,768	24.15%	5,773	24.20%	5,813	24.40%	6,586	27.69%	7,050	29.86%	7,551	32.25%	8,340	36.22%	10,081	45.47%
	Courtney Howard	3,285	13.76%	3,285	13.77%	3,348	14.05%	3,404	14.31%	3,762	15.93%	4,523	19.32%	5,824	25.29%	Eliminated
	Glen Murray	2,745	11.50%	2,746	11.51%	2,821	11.84%	2,846	11.96%	2,992	12.67%	3,725	15.91%	Eliminated
	David Merner	2,636	11.04%	2,636	11.05%	2,697	11.32%	2,727	11.46%	2,856	12.10%	Eliminated
	Amita Kuttner	1,468	6.15%	1,470	6.16%	1,486	6.24%	1,748	7.35%	Eliminated
	Meryam Haddad	1,345	5.63%	1,346	5.64%	1,358	5.70%	Eliminated
	Andrew West	352	1.47%	356	1.49%	Eliminated
	None Of The Above	36	0.15%	Eliminated
Total		23,877	100%	23,854	100%	23,828	100%	23,788	100%	23,612	100%	23,413	100%	23,026	100%	22,171	100%

Images for kids

• 

  Annamie Paul with Green Party supporters before the 2019 federal election.