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British Columbia Green Party members have chosen Emily Lowan, a climate activist and former student politician who turned 25 last week, as their next leader.
“Our bold progressive vision has captured the imagination of a new generation of Green members and voters,” Lowan said today following the announcement at a Victoria hotel. “This campaign was electrifying. It was a lightning rod of hope.”
Lowan was the first choice on 3,189 of the 5,259 votes cast, or 61 per cent. That was enough to win without counting members’ second choices. There were 9,829 people eligible to vote, so turnout was around 54 per cent.
Jonathan Kerr, a Comox municipal councillor and family doctor, got 1,908 votes and Adam Bremner-Akins, a student and party official, got 128. There were also 14 votes for none of the above.
Lowan, who acknowledged being a little surprised by the result, attributed her win to bringing in thousands of new members, many under 30. “That is a force to reckon with.”
Her campaign used the slogan “Fight the Oligarchs, Fund Our Future” and she pledged to hold the NDP government to account. She observed that the BC Greens now have more members than the Official Opposition B.C. Conservatives.
“Sadly the BC NDP is not up to the task of defending our shared values or the province we call home,” Lowan said. “They are making decisions based on scarcity and fear.”
She criticized Premier David Eby for travelling to New York this week and “rolling out the red carpet for Donald Trump’s inner circle of American oligarchs” because “it’s the extent of his political imagination.”
The NDP’s big idea to raise public revenue is to double down on resource exports, especially fossil fuels, she said. The government has no vision “for a future beyond more foreign billionaires ripping and shipping our resources while families in B.C. wait for the wealth to trickle down, but it never will.”
The Greens are a force that can offer voters a better option, she said. “We are at the forefront of a powerful movement that will reclaim B.C.’s economy for working people, not billionaires and multinational corporations.”
During the campaign Lowan criticized the agreement the Greens entered after last October’s election to support the NDP in the legislature in exchange for action on some of the party’s priorities.
West Vancouver-Sea to Sky MLA Jeremy Valeriote, who has served as interim leader since Sonia Furstenau’s resignation, said he’s excited to work with Lowan. “It’s a watershed moment for the BC Greens.”
He dismissed concerns that Lowan would make it more difficult for Greens to win in right-leaning ridings like his. “I feel good about getting re-elected under any leader, and Emily especially.”
Renegotiating the agreement with the NDP was already scheduled for later this year and he and the party’s other MLA, Rob Botterell in Saanich North and the Islands, will work through that process with Lowan, he said.
“We’ll reach consensus and we’ll bring it forward to the government.”
Botterell said it is time to “begin the hard work together with our new leader to ensure B.C.’s future is grounded by Green values and Green priorities.”
Lowan said she won’t ask either of the sitting MLAs to step down so that she can run to fill their seat in the legislature. She has a few ridings in mind where she plans to seek a seat in the next general election or byelection, she added. “I’m open to a viable byelection for sure.”
Prominent endorsers of Lowan included environmental activist David Suzuki, doctor and author Gabor Maté, climate activist Tzeporah Berman and Union of BC Indian Chiefs Grand Chief Stewart Phillip.
“This was truly an electric campaign that brought hope to so many people across B.C. who are completely disillusioned with politics,” said Lowan, “so I’m honoured to have the opportunity now to bring this at scale across B.C. and do this work ridiculously full time.” ![[Tyee]](/design-article.thetyee.ca/ui/img/yellowblob.png){kind=small}
Read more: BC Politics
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