– Dimitri Lascaris Rules Out Candidacy for GPC Leadership –
In a recent blog post, Dimitri Lascaris, the eco-socialist runner-up in the 2020 Green Party of Canada leadership race has announced that he will not be running in the upcoming federal leadership race.
This leaves the left of the party with a serious void in leadership. From what I have heard, the federal leadership race will be held during the Quebec provincial election making it nearly impossible for me to run.
While I agree with Dimitri’s assessment that the Green Party of Canada is in a state of disrepair, that the right wingers are in control of the party and that Elizabeth May will do everything she can to choose the next leader while obstructing any left-wing candidates who may choose to run, I disagree that the party is a lost cause or that nothing can be done to turn things around.
M. Lascaris says it himself; the NDP-Liberal coalition has opened up a huge void on the left of Canadian politics. Under these circumstances, the upcoming GPC leadership race is going to be a make or break moment for the Canadian left. If the left fails to secure the GPC as an outspoken eco-socialist option, Canadian voters will be left with nothing but centrist parties and a rising conservative movement that is going out of its way to attract working class voters by relying on a populist anti-establishment Trump style message. This is bad for Canada. We need a strong left-wing Green Party leader who can stand up to people like Justin Trudeau and Pierre Poilievre.
The rules of the Green Party of Canada leadership race will be announced in the coming weeks along with the dates. Who will step forward to represent the Canadian left?
Alex Tyrrell
Leader of the Green Party of Quebec
