One of Rep. Mike Morris’s staffers sent three federal councilors a message Friday night urging them not to suspend the leadership race. In addition to warning that MPs might leave the party, the email also warned of the federal council closing down the party’s Ottawa headquarters — A decision CBC News reported the party may have to make because donations have plummeted. “If [federal council] suspends the leadership race or decides to close the office (instead of moving to a smaller one), it will cause irreparable damage to the party. The [Green Party of Canada] can’t come back from this,” the message said. “In that case, MPs would be ready to leave the party and sit as independents.” The message went on to say the party is at a “crossroads”. “Hope [federal council] will make the right decision.” The two Green Party MPs, Morris and Elizabeth May, declined to comment. May also wants to be co-leader after previously serving in the role. A party source – who was not authorized to speak publicly – said the email was sent to federal councilors to explain what would happen if they took the drastic step of suspending the leadership race. The source also said there was no immediate threat of MPs leaving the party. The source also noted that the email to councilors was necessary because Morris, who normally represents the caucus on the federal council, was not allowed to attend Friday’s council meeting. In a wide-ranging interview with CBC on Sunday, outgoing Green Party chair Lorraine Reckmans confirmed that several of her advisers received an email from Morris’ staff. Reckmans described the email as threatening.
“This is a pretty serious threat,” Reckmans told the CBC. “I really think it’s a serious offence [party] rules”. WATCHES | The outgoing president of the Green Party accuses the MPs of interference:

The former president of the Green Party accuses the MPs of interference

Former Green Party leader Lorraine Rekmans confirmed that a number of federal councilors received emails from the staff of sitting MP Mike Morrice. According to the email, Morrice and Elizabeth May were prepared to quit their party and sit as Independents if the federal council canceled the leadership race. Reckmans argued that MPs used their elected office to intimidate the party’s member-led governing body – breaking the convention that members run the party, not staff or MPs. “So that’s influencing the federal board’s vote,” Reckmans said. “We are a member-driven, grassroots-driven party. That’s who we are. I believe I came in to represent the interests of the members in the federal council and to protect their interests in their party.” On Friday, Reckmans said the federal council was debating whether to continue the party’s leadership race after allegations the party had a pattern of behavior that was harmful to black, indigenous and colored people, as well as 2SLGBTQ people . These allegations hung over the party while Annami Paul led the Greens. she was the first black and Jewish woman ever elected to lead a major federal party. The accusations resurfaced after incorrect pronouns were used to identify interim leader Amita Kuttner during a mock party event (Kuttner uses they/he/ille). Reckmans and other councilors agreed the Greens needed to address these allegations and voted for an independent inquiry. They also argued that the volunteer-based leadership contest should be suspended because the party could not in good conscience allow volunteers to work in an unsafe workplace. In the end, the federal council voted to investigate allegations of abuse and discrimination while moving forward with the leadership race, as lawmakers wanted. WATCHES | Extended interview with outgoing Green Party President:

Extensive interview with the outgoing president of the Green Party

Outgoing Green Party President Lorraine Reckmans talks to CBC parliamentary reporter David Thurton about why she decided to step down.

Leadership contestant apologizes for comments about the president

The CBC reaches out to Greens leadership candidates to find out what’s going on in the party. Candidate Sarah Gabrielle-Baron, who previously called the outgoing president “uninformed,” apologized for her comments but declined to comment further. Reckmans was the first indigenous president of the Greens. “It’s a private matter that’s happening in our party and it’s become very public. I’m doing everything I can to mend fences internally,” Gabrielle-Barron said at a news conference in Ottawa. “Lorraine Rekmans is a strong president. She blazed a trail for our party that was ethical. This was rooted in Anishinabek roots and I’m sorry my speech was taken the wrong way.” It is not the first time that a Green MP has threatened to leave the party. In 2016, May said she could resign as Green Party leader if her party did not reconsider its decision to back a movement calling for a boycott of Israel. In 2021, one of his MPs went further. Jenica Atwin joined the Liberal benches shortly after criticizing the former leader’s response to violence in the Middle East as “completely inadequate” and accusing Israel of pursuing apartheid.