Jo-Ann Roberts

Last updated

Jo-Ann Roberts
Jo-AnnRoberts.jpg
Roberts in 2018
Deputy Leader of the Green Party of Nova Scotia
Assumed office
October 23, 2021

Jo-Ann Roberts (born 1956[ citation needed ]) is a Canadian politician and former journalist who served as the interim leader of the Green Party of Canada from November 4, 2019, to October 3, 2020, having been appointed upon Elizabeth May stepping down from the party's leadership role. [1]

Contents

Roberts previously served as the party's deputy leader since March 2018 and was a broadcaster with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. [2] [3] She has been a federal Green Party candidate trice in the past, running in Victoria in 2015 and in Halifax in 2019 and 2021. She was appointed to be deputy leader of the party in 2018, serving alongside Daniel Green. [4]

In October 2021, Roberts was elected to be the deputy leader of the Green Party of Nova Scotia, with Anthony Edmonds being elected leader of the party. Together they implemented a shadow cabinet for the party and hope to elect the first Green MLA to the Nova Scotia House of Assembly in the next election. [5]

Personal life

Roberts received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Mount Allison University and a journalism degree from Carleton University. [6]

She is married to Ken Kelly, with whom she has four adult children. [7] She also has three grandchildren and cites the birth of her first grandchild as one of the forces which compelled her to move into politics in 2014. Roberts has claimed that she wanted to have an adequate answer if her granddaughter asked her what she had done to fight climate change. [8]

Political career

Roberts left her job at the CBC in 2014 to pursue a career in advocacy for public communication and the environment. She decided to run as a Green Party candidate in Victoria for the 2015 federal election campaign. [9] While she had been approached by other parties, she claimed that the Green Party platform was the one which most aligned with her beliefs. [10] She came second in 2015 with almost 24,000 votes, which is more votes than was received by 131 MPs who were elected. [11]

After the election, Roberts and her family moved back to her childhood hometown of Halifax. In 2018, she was appointed by Elizabeth May to serve as the deputy leader of the party, alongside Daniel Green. She ran as the Green Party candidate in Halifax in the 2019 federal election, finishing in third with 14% of the vote. [12]

On November 4, 2019, Elizabeth May announced that she would be stepping down as leader of the Green Party, effective immediately. She then named Roberts as the new interim leader. [13] Roberts served until the election of Annamie Paul in October 2020. [14]

Roberts ran in Halifax in the 2021 federal election, placing fourth.

Roberts serves as host and producer for the Green Party podcast, People, Politics, and Planet. [15]

Electoral record

2021 Canadian federal election : Halifax
PartyCandidateVotes%±%Expenditures
Liberal Andy Fillmore 21,90542.74+0.26$104,256
New Democratic Lisa Roberts 20,34739.70+9.66$93,350
Conservative Cameron Ells6,60112.88+1.30$3,845
Green Jo-Ann Roberts 1,1282.20–12.17$15,949
People's B. Alexander Hébert1,0692.09+0.95$3,649
Communist Katie Campbell1980.39$0
Total valid votes51,248100.00–
Total rejected ballots3220.62–0.02
Turnout51,57068.13–6.91
Registered voters75,692
Liberal hold Swing –4.70
Source: Elections Canada [16]
2019 Canadian federal election : Halifax
PartyCandidateVotes%±%Expenditures
Liberal Andy Fillmore 23,68142.48−9.25$77,935.01
New Democratic Christine Saulnier16,74730.04−6.09$92,096.82
Green Jo-Ann Roberts 8,01314.37+11.08$46,730.72
Conservative Bruce Holland 6,45611.58+2.97none listed
People's Duncan McGenn6331.14–none listed
Animal Protection Bill Wilson2220.40–$2,719.51
Total valid votes/expense limit55,752100.0   $102,876.75
Total rejected ballots3610.64+0.15
Turnout56,11375.04+0.36
Eligible voters74,778
Liberal hold Swing -1.58
Source: Elections Canada [17]
2015 Canadian federal election : Victoria
PartyCandidateVotes%±%Expenditures
New Democratic Murray Rankin 30,39742.28-8.50$222,151.95
Green Jo-Ann Roberts 23,66632.92+21.31$147,733.88
Liberal Cheryl Thomas [18] 8,48911.81-2.18$36,199.72
Conservative John Rizzuti8,48011.79-11.83$72,891.79
Libertarian Art Lowe5390.75+0.26$900.00
Animal Alliance Jordan Reichert2000.28–$10,110.17
Independent Saul Andersen1240.17––
Total valid votes/expense limit71,895100.00 $234,268.29
Total rejected ballots2410.33
Turnout72,13677.92
Eligible voters92,574
New Democratic hold Swing -14.90
Source: Elections Canada [19] [20]

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References

  1. ↑ Aiello, Rachel (November 4, 2019). "Elizabeth May steps down as Green Party leader". CTV News. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
  2. ↑ "Elizabeth May steps down as leader of Green Party". Global News. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  3. ↑ Smith, Emma (November 10, 2019). "Green Party's new interim leader focused on prepping for the next election". CBC News. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
  4. ↑ "Jo-Ann Roberts". Green Party of Canada. Green Party of Canada. Archived from the original on May 7, 2019. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  5. ↑ Grant, Taryn (October 23, 2021). "Anthony Edmonds elected leader of N.S. Green Party". CBC Nova Scotia. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
  6. ↑ "Mount Allison University | Record | Meet the 2019 Alumni Award Winners". www.mta.ca. Retrieved November 30, 2019.
  7. ↑ Knox, Jack. "Jack Knox: Why a prominent Victoria couple is leaving for Halifax". Times Colonist. Retrieved November 30, 2019.
  8. ↑ "What you need to know about Jo-Ann Roberts, the Green Party's interim leader | CTV News". www.ctvnews.ca. November 4, 2019. Retrieved November 13, 2019.
  9. ↑ "Former CBC Host Jo-Ann Roberts Seeks Federal Green Party Nom. in Victoria". Puget Sound Radio. January 25, 2015. Retrieved November 30, 2019.
  10. ↑ Pammett, Jon H.; Dornan, Christopher (June 11, 2016). The Canadian Federal Election of 2015. Dundurn. ISBN   978-1-4597-3335-0.
  11. ↑ "About Elizabeth". Elect Jo-Ann Roberts. Archived from the original on November 5, 2019. Retrieved November 13, 2019.
  12. ↑ "May's out. Now what?". The Signal. Retrieved November 30, 2019.
  13. ↑ Neatby, Andrea Gunn, Stu. "Canadian Green Leader Elizabeth May steps down, Halifax candidate Jo-Ann Roberts named interim leader | The Guardian". www.theguardian.pe.ca. Retrieved November 14, 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  14. ↑ Raj, Althia (October 3, 2020). "Annamie Paul Wins Race To Replace Elizabeth May As Green Party Leader". HuffPost. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
  15. ↑ "People, Politics and Planet Podcast". Green Party of Canada. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
  16. ↑ "Election Night Results — Halifax". Elections Canada. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
  17. ↑ "Results Validated by the Returning Officer". Elections Canada. Retrieved October 27, 2019.
  18. ↑ "Liberal candidate Cheryl Thomas resigns over Facebook comments". CBC News . CBC News. Retrieved October 1, 2015.
  19. ↑ Canada, Elections. "Voter Information Service - Find your electoral district". www.elections.ca.
  20. ↑ Canada, Elections. "Final Candidates Election Expenses Limits". www.elections.ca.
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