AGM Confirms De Jong as Leader

Frank De Jong, 52-year-old educator, who has headed the party since 1993, was confirmed as Party Leader this weekend when 71 per cent of 403 members voted against holding a leadership review. Party policy calls for a Leadership review when support for the leader falls below 2/3rds. The Green Party constitution requires a review vote every two years. This one came on the heels of the Party celebrating its best performance yet in a provincial election where the GPO tripled its popular share of the vote as well as its membership.

De Jong had strong support among the 115 party members at the meeting, held outside Perth on the Rideau River. But the outcome was uncertain as nearly 300 advance ballots were cast by those who couldn't attend.

Many delegates said the party should concentrate on strengthening its organization and raising money, rather than be distracted by a leadership contest. Most delegates felt Frank had only just become known to the public as the face of the Green Party in Ontario. For the first time, the AGM was extensively covered by the Toronto Star.

The GPO welcomes new President LAWSON HUNTER, a former Director of Communications for the GPO. Former Progressive Conservative Party of Canada Director DAVID SCRYMGEOUR is now Chief Financial Officer.

Other newly-elected members of the Executive include:

Eastern Region Female JEANIE WARNOCK

Eastern Region Male MARK MacKENZIE

Toronto Region Female CAROLINE LAW

Toronto Region Male SHAUN MERRITT

The meeting ended with a rousing speech by De Jong: “The future of Ontario politics is Green. We’re a burgeoning political force en route to electing MPPs in 2011...We are engaged in an epic battle to save the planet," he continued before receiving a standing ovation. "The enemy is us ... the battle is within each of us."

Shane Jolley, the bike shop owner who won 33 per cent of the vote in Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound, the Greens' best result in a Canadian election, is quoted in the Toronto Star as urging the Party not to become complacent.

"Now is the time to be more bold than ever before. ... We have to champion our policies and ideas in a way we have never done before," said Jolley, who is considered a strong future leadership candidate.

Members also celebrated their recent court victory obtaining a change in electoral law which required candidates who did not obtain 10% of the vote to lose their deposit fee with Elections Ontario.

“Every candidate who ran in the last election will get their deposit fee returned, regardless of how many votes they received and what their political affiliation,” says de Jong. “We are continuing to improve democracy in Ontario.”