Green Party council voting on process that could eject Annamie Paul from leadership

The Green Partyfederal council will vote tonight on whether tokickstart a process that could remove Annamie Paul from the party leadership.

According to party members with knowledge of the issue, the party'sfederal council will hold a vote on whether to trigger a complex 30-dayprocessunder the party's constitution.

If the council votes tonight to launch that process,itwill meet again on July 15. If 75 per centof council members agree at that meeting to let a leadership vote go forward, party members could then vote to remove Paulfrom office through a motion at an annual general meeting.

One source said the Greens are overdue for such a meeting.

This move follows a difficult few weeks for the party,whichhas been ripped apart by internal disputesover theIsraeli-Palestinian conflict.

As violence in the region escalated, Paul issued a statement calling for a ceasefire and condemning both Palestinian rocket attacks and excessive Israeli military force an apparentattempt to put forward a moderate position close to that of the Trudeau government.

Green MP Jenica Atwin who has since left the Green caucus to join the Liberals ripped into Paul's statement on Twitter."It is a totally inadequate statement," Atwin wrote. "Forced evictions must end. I stand with Palestine and condemn the unthinkable air strikes in Gaza.End Apartheid."

Green MP Paul Manlyalso took issue with Paul's statement, sayingthe planned removal of Palestinian families from the East Jerusalem neighbourhood of Sheikh Jarrah "is ethnic cleansing."

Paul's adviserNoahZatzman responded with a Facebook post stating that Greens "will work to defeat you and bring in progressive climate champions who are antifa and pro LGBT and pro indigenous sovereignty and Zionists!!!!!"

Zatzman alsoexpressed solidarity with Israel in a May 14 social media post that accused many politicians including unspecified Green MPs of discrimination and antisemitism. That inspireda letter-writing campaign calling for his removal.

Zatzman has worked with Paul since last July and remains on board as an adviser to the leader. His six-month contract, slated to expire on July 4 and obtained by The Canadian Press, stipulates that the party will pay Zatzman a fee for time worked beyond 100 hours per month.

The Green Party'sexecutive committee has voted not to renew Zatzman's contract once it expires next month.

Too many 'distractions' in Green party: Atwin

Separately, two party executives recently announced they would step down early. One of them wasJohn Kidder, a vice-president on the party's governing body and husband to MP and former leader Elizabeth May.

WhenAtwinannounced last week that she was crossingthe floor to join the Liberals, shesaid there were too many "distractions" in the Green Party and she wanted to work in a more "supportive and collaborative" environment.

In a media statement, May and B.C. Green MP Manly said they were "heartbroken" by Atwin's decision and thatZatzman was to blame.

"Unfortunately, the attack against Ms. Atwin by the Green Party leader's chief spokesperson on May 14th created the conditions that led to this crisis," the two said. The MPsadded that, while they were frustrated,they have "no intention of leaving the Green Party of Canada."

Speaking to reporters after Atwin's announcement, Paul said she was blindsided by herdeparture and only learned about itfrom media reports.

Paul said that while the party supports cross-party cooperation and rejects excessivepartisanship, she said there are "significant differences" between the Green and Liberal parties and calledAtwin'sfloor-crossinga "disappointment."

Paul said a byelectionshould becalled in Fredericton because voters there chose to elect a Green MP in the 2019 campaign.

Paul said she doesn't believe the internal squabbling over Israel was what pushed Atwin to switch sides. She said she understands Atwin was in talks with the Liberals for "numerous weeks" before the internal debate overMiddle East issues flared up. She refused to say ifZatzman is still a member of her team.

CBC News has reached out to Paul's office for comment.

Watch:'We are disappointed but accept it' Green Party leader reacts to New Brunswick MP's departure:

'We are disappointed but accept it' Green Party leader reacts to New Brunswick MP's departure

3 years ago

Duration 1:20

Annamie Paul reacts to news that MP Jenica Atwin has left the Green caucus to join the Liberal Party.