WINNIPEG — The Green Party of Manitoba has elected its first new leader since 2008.
At its annual general meeting in Winnipeg on Sunday, the party announced that Janine G. Gibson was the winner of ranked-ballot voting which took place online from March 13 to 26.
Gibson, an agriculture consultant, has run four times for the provincial legislature and the party says she plans to run again in La Vérendrye in southeastern Manitoba.
Former leader James Beddome announced last year he would step down after leading the party for 13 years.
The party has never won a seat in the Manitoba legislature, but increased its share of the popular vote in every provincial election under Beddome's leadership — from one per cent the year before his first term to six per cent in 2019.
The party says Gibson has announced her intention to appoint her three leadership competitors to offices as deputy leaders and shadow ministers.
"I am excited and humbled at the confidence expressed in my leadership during these challenging times,” Gibson said in a news release.
“I have much gratitude to James for his dedication and perseverance as a model for us all."
The Green Party of Manitoba said turnout for the leadership election was 54 per cent.
In 2011, Beddome was the first Green leader invited to participate in televised debates. He used the platform to push ideas, including a universal basic income to fight poverty, first to New Democrat Greg Selinger and then to Progressive Conservative Brian Pallister when they were premiers.
In 2013 after graduating law school, Beddome was replaced on an interim basis. But he had a change of heart and ran for the leadership again the following year and won.
The Greens came within 400 votes of winning a seat in the 2016 election.
The AGM also saw the election of a new council for the party, with Dennis Bayomi as president.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 26, 2023.
The Canadian Press
