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October 21, 2007 (Vancouver, BC) The Green Party of BC has announced Jane Sterk as the party’s new leader. The announcement was made today at the GPBC’s 2007 Annual General Meeting and Leadership Convention in Victoria.
Sterk beat out four other candidates in the party’s biggest-ever leadership race – fellow Victorian Jack Etkin; two Vancouverites, Ben West and Damian Kettlewell; and Bowen Island resident Silvaine Zimmermann. Sterk will take over from outgoing Interim Leader Christopher Bennett, effectively immediately.
“I’m honoured to have been elected Leader of the renewed BC Green Party. The Green Party represents hope for the future,” said newly elected Green Party Leader Jane Sterk.
“To the press and political pundits who believe that the Green Party is not going to maintain our support, let alone improve it, I say, just watch us! To advocates of strategic voting, we’ll prove to you that not voting for your principles is cowardly.
“So let’s roll up our sleeves and get to work to make the Green Party of BC the competitive political force it needs to be in 2009.”
This is the first leadership race the GPBC has held in seven years. In 2000, Adriane Carr became party leader. Carr held the position until November 2006, when she stepped down to move into federal politics. She is now the Deputy Leader of the Green Party of Canada.
Christopher Bennett was appointed as Interim Leader by the GPBC Provincial Council in April 2007. Bennett quickly set about improving communications for the party, raising the media profile, increasing traffic on the party website and creating debate with his controversial blog. He also put the framework in place to hand over a more efficient and more organized party to his successor.
He leaves as his legacies a historic resolution passed today at the AGM that the GPBC will accept donations of up to $2500 from small business and unions for a trial one-year period, and the critical first steps to recognizing the GPBC at the UBCM Convention.
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