The Green Party of Canada has elected Mike Morrice as its new leader, after he proved to be the only candidate in the contest. The party confirmed the result, which places the former member of Parliament for Kitchener Centre at the head of a federal party that holds one seat in the House of Commons.
Morrice's rise was unopposed. Nira Dookeran, who had also sought the leadership, withdrew from the race in September, citing personal and family reasons. Even with no rival on the ballot, the party's constitution required a formal vote, so the election went ahead as scheduled and Morrice was declared leader.
Morrice represented Kitchener Centre in the House of Commons from 2021 to 2025. He lost the riding in the most recent federal election to Conservative candidate Kelly DeRidder by fewer than 400 votes, a margin that kept the seat close to the centre of national attention. Morrice has said he intends to win Kitchener Centre back at the first opportunity. He is not a candidate in the six federal byelections currently pending, so he will not return to the Commons through those contests. The timing of any return to Parliament therefore remains unknown, and it is not yet clear whether he can regain the Ontario riding.
He succeeds Elizabeth May, who is stepping down as leader. May is the party's sole MP in the Commons and has led the Greens for many years. She described Morrice's election as a dream come true and said the party is in good financial shape, with no debt and supporters across the country. Her remarks marked a handover that party members had prepared for, with the leadership passing to a figure who has already sat in Parliament.
In outlining his priorities, Morrice pointed to affordability as the central concern for Canadians. He said he wants to make everyday life more affordable and has made a point of taking on the oil and gas industry. He also argues that wealth has been moving from ordinary people toward billionaires, a theme he intends to press as he builds the party's profile ahead of the next election.
The leadership change comes as the federal government reshapes climate policy. Ottawa is rolling back many emissions measures introduced under former prime minister Justin Trudeau. Prime Minister Mark Carney has called the previous plan too costly and divisive. Carney has also conceded that Canada's emissions will rise under his government's approach, a point that gives Morrice's criticism of the oil and gas sector an immediate policy context. How strongly the Greens will contest that agenda in the Commons, with only one sitting MP, will be one of the early tests of Morrice's leadership.