(HALIFAX) — Green Party of Canada leader Elizabeth May (MP, Saanich-Gulf Islands) today announced the appointment of veteran journalist and broadcaster Jo-Ann Roberts as the party’s Deputy Leader. Ms. Roberts, who now lives in Halifax, was a host on CBC Radio for 20 years -- 10 years on the morning show in Moncton and then with the Radio One weekday afternoon show on Vancouver Island.
“I am honoured and excited to accept Elizabeth May’s invitation to join the Green Party’s dynamic leadership team as party Deputy Leader,” said Ms. Roberts. “I am deeply committed to the Green vision of working together to drive progress towards a cleaner, fairer and more sustainable Canada. And I strongly support Elizabeth’s campaign to change the way we do politics in this country, abandoning the hyper-partisan squabbling that now dominates the discourse for a more considered and collaborative approach.”
Ms. Roberts was the Green Party candidate in Victoria during the 2015 federal campaign when she finished second with almost 33 percent of the vote and received more votes than 131 candidates who are now MPs. It was second only to Ms. May’s historic result in Saanich-Gulf Island among Green Party campaigns that year.
“I am proud to welcome Jo-Ann Roberts as the party’s new Deputy Leader,” said Ms. May. “She brings a wealth of experience not only as an outstanding communicator but also as a tireless advocate for public broadcasting and a dedicated campaigner on climate change, income inequality, housing and democratic reform.”
Under the Green Party’s constitution, the Leader is empowered to appoint up to two Deputy Leaders. Ms. May paid tribute to outgoing Deputy Leader, former Green MP Bruce Hyer, who is stepping down after more than four years in the position to focus his efforts on the Green Party of Ontario campaign in the upcoming provincial election.
"Bruce Hyer was an outstanding and hard-working standard-bearer for the progressive policies of the Green Party both in the House of Commons and in the community," she said. "I am delighted that he will continue to be an active advocate for Green values at the federal and provincial levels."
Prominent Montreal-based environmentalist Daniel Green will continue to serve as the party’s other Deputy Leader.
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For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact:
John Chenery
Director of Communications
613-562-4916 ext. 215
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Jo-Ann Roberts' Brief Bio:
Jo-Ann Roberts is an award-winning, veteran journalist. She began her career as a TV and radio reporter in Saint John, NB. She was a host on CBC Radio for 20 years, 10 years with Information Morning in Moncton and then 10 years on the other side of the country as the host of the afternoon show for Vancouver Island. She covered the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver and received a national award for being part of the team covering the Stanley Cup Riots.
She is an expert on public broadcasting and has taught at the university level and provided workshops on media literacy. She has also worked in communications in Sackville, NB, and Winnipeg, MB, where along with two partners, she owned and operated MRC, a media relations and training company.
Jo-Ann was a candidate for the Green Party in Victoria in the last federal election. Since then she continues to work on issues affecting climate change, housing, democratic reform and income inequality. After her career in broadcasting she was the Community Relations and Advancement Consultant for Threshold Housing Society, serving homeless youth, and served as a board member of The Victoria Foundation, Literacy Victoria and Mount St. Mary Hospital.
Jo-Ann now lives in Halifax with her husband Ken Kelly, an urban planner. They have four children and one grandchild.