Stuart Parker
Encyclopedia
Stuart Parker was leader of the Green Party
in British Columbia
, Canada
, from 1993 to 2000. In 2009, during the Ontario by-election
to replace MPP Michael Byrant, he unsuccessfully sought the Ontario New Democratic Party
nomination for the St. Paul's
provincial riding.
-destroying foam packaging. Parker and the Young Greens received substantial credit from Canada's national media in 1990 when the restaurant giant abandoned the use of chlorofluorocarbon
-based foam. The group's continued campaign against the use of CFCs in foam packaging led to CKF Incorporated, Canada's largest manufacturer of CFC-based foam, abandoning the use of CFCs in manufacturing in 1993.
Parker managed to take the party from a tiny group of 59 in 1992 to a party that was only four candidates short of a full slate in the 1996 provincial election. He built links to poverty activists and labour groups. During his leadership, the party's standing in public opinion polls rose from 1% to 11%. During his time as party leader, Parker was arrested in anti-clearcutting blockades in Clayoquot Sound
in 1993 and the Slocan Valley
in 1997.
Reversing his earlier position, he negotiated agreements with the municipal affiliates of the then-incumbent New Democratic Party of British Columbia
(NDP) provincial government and the labour councils of Vancouver and Victoria
in 1998 and 1999, resulting in the first and the only Red-Green coalitions in Canadian history in BC's 1999 municipal elections. As part of these coalitions, the Greens won their first-ever municipal seats in Canadian cities.
Ultimately, his focus on building a broadly left-wing green party in BC brought criticism from some members of the environmental movement in the province. Those people played a significant role in the efforts that eventually led to Parker's defeat at the party's March 2000 convention - after previous unsuccessful attempts to unseat him in 1998 and 1999.
At the time of Parker's defeat, his supporters in the party were in negotiations with the NDP over a potential provincial electoral alliance. His successor, Adriane Carr
, cancelled these negotiations.
in the 2004 federal election
.
Upon leaving the Green Party, Parker initially worked as a lobbyist for Mike Geoghegan
. Despite leaving the Greens and joining the NDP, he remained a strong advocate for electoral reform, specifically proportional representation. A co-founder of the BC Electoral Change Coalition in 1997, he served on the board of Fair Voting BC (2000–2002, 2006–2009) and on the board of Fair Vote Canada
(2005–2007). He served as a spokesperson for the "YES" campaign in the 2005 and 2009 BC referenda
on voting reform.
Living in Ontario in 2009, he sought the NDP nomination for the provincial by-election in the riding of St. Paul's
, but was defeated by lawyer Julian Heller.
Following the defeat, Parker was encouraged by the NDP's national office and the board of the St. Paul's federal riding association to seek the party's federal nomination. However, in March 2010, after initially being approved by the party's vetting process the previous November, he was informed by head office staff that he had been disqualified from seeking a federal NDP nomination anywhere in Canada because of four posts he had made to his personal Facebook page in the intervening months. Parker remains a member of the party.
, Parker was the first BC political leader of African descent and gave the keynote speech to the opening ceremony of the province's Black History Month
in 1994.
He is currently based in the Vancouver area while he works on a travel-intensive postdoctoral fellowship from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
of Canada on the religions of indigenous peoples of the Americas and Polynesia.
1. Vancouver Parks Board is chosen in a city-wide (at-large) election in which seven candidates are elected. Although Parker received 3.2% of the total votes, approximately 23% of electors voted for him.
Green Party of British Columbia
The Green Party of British Columbia is a political party in British Columbia, Canada. It is led by former Esquimalt municipal councillor, university professor and businessperson Jane Sterk, she was elected by the party in 2007. Penticton realtor and columnist Julius Bloomfield serves as the deputy...
in British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, from 1993 to 2000. In 2009, during the Ontario by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
to replace MPP Michael Byrant, he unsuccessfully sought the Ontario New Democratic Party
Ontario New Democratic Party
The Ontario New Democratic Party or , formally known as New Democratic Party of Ontario, is a social democratic political party in Ontario, Canada. It is a provincial section of the federal New Democratic Party. It was formed in October 1961, a few months after the federal party. The ONDP had its...
nomination for the St. Paul's
St. Paul's (provincial electoral district)
St. Paul's is a provincial electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario since 1999.The small but densely-populated riding covers the area to the north of Downtown Toronto...
provincial riding.
Green Party activism
Prior to winning the party's leadership at the age of 21, he had been the founder and spokesperson of the party's youth wing, the Young Greens from 1988 to 1992 and was best known for coordinating the group's successful national campaign against McDonald's Restaurants' use of ozoneOzone
Ozone , or trioxygen, is a triatomic molecule, consisting of three oxygen atoms. It is an allotrope of oxygen that is much less stable than the diatomic allotrope...
-destroying foam packaging. Parker and the Young Greens received substantial credit from Canada's national media in 1990 when the restaurant giant abandoned the use of chlorofluorocarbon
Haloalkane
The haloalkanes are a group of chemical compounds derived from alkanes containing one or more halogens. They are a subset of the general class of halocarbons, although the distinction is not often made. Haloalkanes are widely used commercially and, consequently, are known under many chemical and...
-based foam. The group's continued campaign against the use of CFCs in foam packaging led to CKF Incorporated, Canada's largest manufacturer of CFC-based foam, abandoning the use of CFCs in manufacturing in 1993.
Parker managed to take the party from a tiny group of 59 in 1992 to a party that was only four candidates short of a full slate in the 1996 provincial election. He built links to poverty activists and labour groups. During his leadership, the party's standing in public opinion polls rose from 1% to 11%. During his time as party leader, Parker was arrested in anti-clearcutting blockades in Clayoquot Sound
Clayoquot Sound
Clayoquot Sound is located on the west coast of Vancouver Island in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is bordered by the Esowista Peninsula to the south, and the Hesquiaht Peninsula to the North. It is a body of water with many inlets and islands. Major inlets include Sydney Inlet,...
in 1993 and the Slocan Valley
Slocan Valley
The Slocan Valley is a valley in the West Kootenay region of British Columbia, Canada.The valley is home to the villages of Slocan City, New Denver, Silverton, as well as the unincorporated communities of Crescent Valley, Slocan Park, Passmore, Vallican, Winlaw, Appledale, Perry Siding, Lemon...
in 1997.
Reversing his earlier position, he negotiated agreements with the municipal affiliates of the then-incumbent New Democratic Party of British Columbia
New Democratic Party of British Columbia
The New Democratic Party of British Columbia is a social-democratic political party in British Columbia, Canada. The party currently forms the official opposition to the governing British Columbia Liberal Party following the 2009 provincial election in British Columbia.The BC NDP is the provincial...
(NDP) provincial government and the labour councils of Vancouver and Victoria
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
in 1998 and 1999, resulting in the first and the only Red-Green coalitions in Canadian history in BC's 1999 municipal elections. As part of these coalitions, the Greens won their first-ever municipal seats in Canadian cities.
Ultimately, his focus on building a broadly left-wing green party in BC brought criticism from some members of the environmental movement in the province. Those people played a significant role in the efforts that eventually led to Parker's defeat at the party's March 2000 convention - after previous unsuccessful attempts to unseat him in 1998 and 1999.
At the time of Parker's defeat, his supporters in the party were in negotiations with the NDP over a potential provincial electoral alliance. His successor, Adriane Carr
Adriane Carr
Adriane Carr is a Canadian academic, activist and politician with the Green Party in British Columbia and Canada. She is also a Councillor-elect on Vancouver City Council. She was a founding member and the Green Party of British Columbia's first leader from 1983 to 1985, whereafter the party...
, cancelled these negotiations.
NDP and electoral reform activism
Parker's departure from the party came as the Greens were perceived to be moving to the political right. He subsequently worked with the NDP in the 2001 provincial election and with the federal New Democratic PartyNew Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
in the 2004 federal election
Canadian federal election, 2004
The Canadian federal election, 2004 , was held on June 28, 2004 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 38th Parliament of Canada. The Liberal government of Prime Minister Paul Martin lost its majority, but was able to form a minority government after the elections...
.
Upon leaving the Green Party, Parker initially worked as a lobbyist for Mike Geoghegan
Mike Geoghegan
Michael Geoghegan is a Canadian government and media relations consultant.He was a ministerial assistant to the New Democratic Party's Bill Barlee from 1991 to 1996...
. Despite leaving the Greens and joining the NDP, he remained a strong advocate for electoral reform, specifically proportional representation. A co-founder of the BC Electoral Change Coalition in 1997, he served on the board of Fair Voting BC (2000–2002, 2006–2009) and on the board of Fair Vote Canada
Fair Vote Canada
Fair Vote Canada is a nonprofit, multi-partisan advocacy group for electoral reform in Canada. It is active both federally and in those provinces where there are efforts to reform the first-past-the-post electoral system that is used in Canada...
(2005–2007). He served as a spokesperson for the "YES" campaign in the 2005 and 2009 BC referenda
BC-STV
BC-STV is a proposed voting system recommended by the Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform for use in British Columbia, and belongs to the Single Transferable Vote family of voting systems. BC-STV was supported by a majority of the voters in a referendum held in 2005 but the government had...
on voting reform.
Living in Ontario in 2009, he sought the NDP nomination for the provincial by-election in the riding of St. Paul's
St. Paul's (provincial electoral district)
St. Paul's is a provincial electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario since 1999.The small but densely-populated riding covers the area to the north of Downtown Toronto...
, but was defeated by lawyer Julian Heller.
Following the defeat, Parker was encouraged by the NDP's national office and the board of the St. Paul's federal riding association to seek the party's federal nomination. However, in March 2010, after initially being approved by the party's vetting process the previous November, he was informed by head office staff that he had been disqualified from seeking a federal NDP nomination anywhere in Canada because of four posts he had made to his personal Facebook page in the intervening months. Parker remains a member of the party.
Personal
The nephew of Harry JeromeHarry Jerome
Henry "Harry" Winston Jerome, was a Canadian track and field runner. He was the grandson of John Howard, a railway porter who represented Canada in the 1912 Summer Olympics....
, Parker was the first BC political leader of African descent and gave the keynote speech to the opening ceremony of the province's Black History Month
Black History Month
Black History Month is an observance of the history of the African diaspora in a number of countries outside of Africa. Since 1976, it is observed annually in the United States and Canada in February, while in the United Kingdom it is observed in October...
in 1994.
He is currently based in the Vancouver area while he works on a travel-intensive postdoctoral fellowship from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada is an arm of the Canadian federal funding agency. SSHRC supports a wide range of research and scholarship in the social sciences and humanities. The current president of the Council is Chad Gaffield.- History :SSHRC was formally...
of Canada on the religions of indigenous peoples of the Americas and Polynesia.
Election results
| Election | Type | Total votes | % of popular vote | Place |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vancouver-Fraserview 1991 | Provincial General | 141 | 0.8% | 4th |
| Vancouver City 1992 | Municipal Byelection | ? | 2.1% | ? |
| Vancouver-Quilchena 1994 | Provincial Byelection | 395 | 3.6% | 4th |
| Vancouver-Little Mountain 1996 | Provincial General | 714 | 3.0% | 4th |
| Vancouver Parks Board 1996 | Municipal General | 18120 | 23% (3.2%)1 | 15th |
| Vancouver East 1997 | Federal General | 1221 | 3.4% | 4th |
| Surrey-White Rock 1997 | Provincial Byelection | 910 | 4.5% | 4th |
| Parksville-Qualicum 1998 | Provincial Byelection | 458 | 1.7% | 5th |
1. Vancouver Parks Board is chosen in a city-wide (at-large) election in which seven candidates are elected. Although Parker received 3.2% of the total votes, approximately 23% of electors voted for him.