Green Party of Canada facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Green Party of Canada Parti vert du Canada
Leader	Elizabeth May
Deputy Leader	Jonathan Pedneault
President	Ian Soutar
Founded	1983; 42 years ago (1983)
Headquarters	116 Albert Street Suite 812 Ottawa, Ontario
Youth wing	Young Greens of Canada
Membership (2022)	22,000
Ideology	Green politics
Continental affiliation	Federation of the Green Parties of the Americas
International affiliation	Global Greens
Colours	Green
Senate	0 / 105
House of Commons	2 / 338
Political parties

The Green Party of Canada (which is Parti vert du Canada in French) is a political party in Canada. It was started in 1983. This party focuses on ideas about protecting the environment and making society fair for everyone.

The Green Party is currently the fifth largest party in the House of Commons. This is where elected members of Parliament (MPs) meet to make laws for Canada. The party elected its first MP, Elizabeth May, in 2011. She won in the area called Saanich—Gulf Islands. In 2019, the party had three MPs. In the 2021 election, they had two MPs.

Elizabeth May became the party leader again on November 19, 2022. She was also the leader from 2006 to 2019. The party's deputy leader is Jonathan Pedneault.

The Green Party follows six main ideas. These include caring for nature, being peaceful, working for fairness, living in a way that can last, letting everyone have a say, and respecting all kinds of people.

The Green Party's Story

The idea for an environmental political party in Canada started even before the Green Party officially began. In 1980, a group of eleven people ran for election. They wanted Canada to move away from nuclear power and to use resources wisely. They called themselves the "Small Party." A key person helping to organize this group was Elizabeth May, who later became the Green Party leader.

The Green Party of Canada was officially started in 1983. This happened at a meeting in Ottawa at Carleton University. The party's first leader was Trevor Hancock. In the 1984 federal election, the party had 60 candidates running for election across Canada.

Over the years, the party grew. In 1996, a Green candidate in British Columbia, Andy Shadrack, received over 11% of the votes in his area. This showed growing support for the party.

On November 19, 2022, Elizabeth May was chosen as the leader of the party again. She ran for leadership with Jonathan Pedneault, who is now the deputy leader.

What the Green Party Believes

The Green Party says it doesn't fit into the usual "left" or "right" political groups. They think that modern voters care more about whether they feel included or excluded from politics.

One of the party's founders, Trevor Hancock, explained that arguing about who controls resources misses the point. He said that we can't keep using more and more resources. Instead, we need to share the Earth's limited resources fairly.

In 2019, the Green Party used the slogan "Not Left. Not Right. Forward Together." This showed their idea of moving beyond old political divides.

Some people see the Green Party as a mix of different ideas. They might combine left-leaning views on social issues with some market-based solutions. Others see them as another party that is generally in the centre-left.

Core Ideas of the Green Party

The Green Party of Canada is built on six main ideas. These ideas were agreed upon at a meeting of Green parties from all over the world in 2002. They are:

• Ecological wisdom: This means understanding how nature works and living in a way that protects the Earth.
• Non-violence: This means solving problems peacefully, without using force.
• Social justice: This is about making sure everyone is treated fairly and has equal opportunities.
• Sustainability: This means meeting our needs today without harming the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
• Participatory democracy: This means that everyone should have a say in decisions that affect their lives.
• Respect for diversity: This means valuing and celebrating all the different kinds of people, cultures, and living things on Earth.

Who Leads the Green Party?

Party Leaders Over Time

Leaders in Parliament

The role of "parliamentary leader" was created in 2019. At that time, Elizabeth May stepped down as party leader but stayed on as the leader of the Green MPs in Parliament. This role ended when May became the party leader again in 2022.

• Elizabeth May (2019–2022)

Images for kids

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  Jim Harris, who led the party from 2003 to 2006

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  Elizabeth May, a long-time leader of the Green Party

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  Annamie Paul, who was party leader from 2020 to 2021

See also

In Spanish: Partido Verde de Canadá para niños