2020- 2022 Policy Process | Green Party of Canada
Where GPC membership collaborates to develop our policies
G21-E007 Consulting with members about the next leadership race
Result of VGM vote
91% of members present RECOMMENDED the adoption of the proposal.
Ratification Vote Results: Adopted
Proposal
Whereas the previous leadership race rules, developed in secret by Federal Council, led to problems which caused embarrassment for the Party and contributed to later crises:
Be it resolved that: “Federal Council will put the proposed rules of the next leadership contest to an online vote of the general members, with a voting period of one week, and that the proposed rules must pass by a 60% margin before the contest may be instated. If any proposed set of rules fails, Federal Council will amend the proposal with input from members and seek approval again.”
Objective
This directive instructs Federal Council to not develop the next leadership race rules in secret, but rather with participation of the members. It is not intended to bind Federal Council on the content of the rules or timing of the process.
Benefit
Members will have the opportunity to review, discuss and ultimately approve the method for making this important internal decision. It will avoid internal disputes and build trust in the process. Hopefully it will ensure we learn from past mistakes.
Supporting Comments from Submitter
There were known controversial aspects of the previous race rules at the time they were being formed, such as the lack of a job description for the leader’s position, and the strikingly high entry fees which many members subsequently objected to.
Consultation: this directive makes consultation a requirement.
Jurisdiction: the leadership race rules are the prerogative of Federal Council.
Support: problems with the leadership race rules were extensively discussed by members at the time.
Green Values
Participatory Democracy, Social Justice, Respect for Diversity, Sustainability
Relation to existing policy
There is no current directive on how the next leadership race rules are to be created.
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This proposal directive was adopted at VGM-ONE (Nov2021), when it was also recommended (I believe) that all such Passed Motions (at VGM-1) were to be Ratified shortly after VGM-ONE. where "General Meeting Outcome: 91% of members in attendance RECOMMENDED this proposal be passed"
However, it is now mid-May 2022 and ratification will take at least another month....
and the upcoming Leadership Race Rules have been developed in secret by the Committee tasked with defining these rules, and I understand are intending to present these rules to potential Contestants and interested members in early June, that is, BEFORE potential Ratification.
With 91% of members in attendance having RECOMMENDED this proposal be passed, and widespread membership concern, Federal Council should have anticipated this proposal to be Ratified - and YET by delaying Ratification so very long they have effectively made following this Directive to be IMPOSSIBLE.
And, knowing of the membership's vast agreement of this Directive, Federal Council could easily have incorporated the gist of this Proposal prior to official Ratification. But they do not seem to be doing this.
I contend that Federal Council ought to NOT proceed with declaring the Leadership Race Rules WITHOUT approval by the general membership (as proposed in this Directive).
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