Tell us More About Democracy, Lizzie May

Elizabeth May dodging leadership review

Elizabeth May is facing ever-looming questions about her efforts to avoid a leadership review she must face later this year.

Among resignations and lay offs from the party's national organization, May is leading a party that remains indebted from the 2008 election campaign, and seems to be increasingly losing faith in her leadership.

"Elizabeth is a weak political leader, but she is strong enough to dominate the $2-million-a-year, 9,000-member Green Party," said John Oglivie, a prominent critic of May's. "This is now the ‘Elizabeth May Party of Canada.' Get used to it."

This has to be a tough criticism for May, considering the extent to which she has criticized Stephen Harper's attitude toward democracy. Like May, Harper is often accused of dominating his own party.

May has admitted that the extent to which her critics are allowed access to conference call meetings of the national council has troubled her.

"It would be disingenuous to say it never bugged me, but does it bother me at any large level? No," May said. "It is what it is. Can you imagine any other federal party allowing any member to listen in on council calls?"

May campaigned against the rule that requires the Green Party leader to face a review every four years -- this year would be her first review.

Now, talks are underway within the party's national council to curtail the review.

If May wants to lecture the country on democracy, perhaps she should start by insisting that she face this mandated leadership review.

Eizabeth May can't lecture the rest of the country about democracy if she can't practice it within her own party. It's time for Lizzie May the would-be democrat to put up or shut up.