Annamie Paul

A daughter of immigrants who arrived in Canada from the Caribbean in the 1960s, Annamie Paul made history in October 2020 when she was elected the leader of the Green Party of Canada. As the first Black woman and the first Jewish woman to lead a Canadian political party, Annamie’s campaign platform included a strategy to help Canada fight climate change, a plan to defund the police, and a wealth “cap” to address wealth inequality. 

A lawyer, an international affairs professional, and a long-time advocate for diversity in politics, Annamie’s career is highlighted by a broad range of roles that centre innovation and inclusion in decision-making, particularly women and Black communities. This next phase in her career will have its challenges, but she’s already showing promise for the future of the Greens. Running in October’s byelection in Toronto Centre, she ultimately lost the election, but managed to capture 33 per cent of the vote — a big leap from the five per cent the party had averaged for the seat in the three previous general elections.