Saanich-Gulf Islands MP and leader of the federal Green Party, Elizabeth May, has doubled down on her political commitments after her Green Party co-leader, Jonathan Pedneault, resigned Tuesday.
May and Pedneault ran together as co-leaders during the party’s leadership vote in November 2022.
At a press conference Tuesday, Pedneault said he was stepping away for personal reasons and that his resignation was in the works for weeks, but did not provide further details.
Meanwhile, May said she had no plans to take her foot off the gas when it comes to the next federal election and her role as the Green Party’s sole leader.
“I would be much, much happier if I was doing this with Jonathan, because that was our plan all along,” she said Tuesday.
“I wouldn’t have ran for leadership if we hadn’t met, so yeah it’s both heart broken, but what do you do? The stakes are really big here and I’ve got another grandbaby coming in October and I feel very, very committed as I think everybody my age should.”
“Baby boomers have f—ked this planet and we can’t walk away and leave it for our kids to fix it,” she said.
May’s statement can be be viewed below from a portion of the CPAC livestream of the press conference:
Her statement came after being asked about her health. May said that despite experiencing a stroke just over one year ago, she was now in “remarkably good health” and “working longer hours than most people half my age.”
She apologized for her language Tuesday but said she felt her opinions were echoed among younger generations and that climate issues should be a priority in the federal election, which must occur by October 2025.
“I’m a 70-year-old angry, cranky version of Greta Thunberg, and am I ready? You bet,” said May.
May has been the Saanich-Gulf Islands MP since 2011 and previously led the federal Greens from 2006 until 2019.
With files from The Canadian Press
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