VICTORIA B.C. – Sat Harwood, Chair of the B.C. Green Party’s Provincial Council, announced that the party will resume its leadership contest today. 

Registered candidates may resume campaigning immediately. New candidate applications will be accepted from June 26 to July 27 and voting will take place September 5-13. The results of the leadership contest will be announced on September 14.

“I am very pleased to announce that our 2020 leadership contest will resume today,” Harwood said. “The entire world has faced a harrowing pandemic that is not yet over. But we expect some reprieve over the summer, and so, with caution and safety being our top priority, we will complete our leadership contest by mid-September.”

“We are in unique and unprecedented times; we must continue to be adaptable to a changing world, while pushing the government for more progressive action,” B.C. Green Party interim leader Adam Olsen said. “This leadership contest is no longer just an opportunity to renew our party. It is an opportunity to renew our province and world. Bold, innovative leadership is badly needed, and I am certain that our next leader will rise to this challenge.”

“I offer my gratitude to all those who have patiently waited for the contest to resume: members, supporters, volunteers and particularly the candidates and their teams. I am also thankful for the work of our staff and Provincial Council, who redesigned the contest for our new reality. And finally, I would like to recognize and honour the work of Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry. Without her calm, professional and compassionate leadership, vast segments of our society would not be reopening for the summer. It is with a heart full of appreciation that I say to all of you HÍSW̱ḴE.”

As of today, there are two fully-registered candidates:

• Kim Darwin, mortgage broker and 2017 B.C. Green candidate for Powell River-Sunshine Coast
• Sonia Furstenau, MLA for Cowichan Valley

The Leadership Contest Committee has revised some of the contest’s rules in light of a changed economic and social reality. Changes primarily relate to:

• A shortened summer timeline;
• Lowered candidate fees;
• Number of official debates reduced to one.

Details can be found in the updated leadership contest rules.

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Links

• 2020 leadership contest rules
• 2020 leadership contest FAQs

Attached

• New leadership contest timeline

Media contact
+1 778-650-0597
[email protected] 

New leadership contest timeline

All Sections cited in this appendix refer to the Leadership Contest Rules.