Ian Soutar

My name is Ian, and I have been involved with the Greens since 2015. I have served as co-chair of the Young Greens of Canada, as well as Youth Representative on Federal Council. Since then I have worked as a staffer on the Mobilizing team where I worked with campaigns across the country. I was fortunate to meet in person with Greens from coast to coast and I have learned about our diverse culture by working directly with members and candidates. I have seen what works for us, and I have seen what doesn’t.

I believe my history in both staff and governance offers me a unique understanding of the Party, and my familiarity with its structures and members means I know exactly what I would be getting into as President. Like you, I have seen the headlines in the news for the past several months, and I have no misgivings about what difficulties await the next council.

We are at a critical moment for not just the Party, but for the future of the Canadian government and by extension, terrestrial inhabitability. Interpersonal issues have dominated our focus and left us sidetracked as an organization, with several areas needing urgent attention. Whenever possible, we must call people in, not out, and redevelop trust between all bodies that our Party is composed of. We must remember that the purpose of the Party is to elect members to Parliament and support them to enact change for all Canadians. My intention is to keep us focused and on track.

Although English is my first language, I have been speaking French for nearly twenty years and am also fluent in Spanish and Portuguese.

Finally, I am also passionate about the Global Greens movement, and have been working with member organizations from around the world since 2017. There has never been a problem that I couldn’t get help with from colleagues in other Green Parties.