Green Party of Nova Scotia not folding, says official agent

The Green Party of Nova Scotia says there's a "100 per cent chance" it will be running candidates in the next provincial election despite word from the party's former interim leader last week it was shutting down.

In a posting on the party's website, Ian Charles, the official agent for the party, said "reports of our demise have been greatly exaggerated."

Speaking to CBC News, Charles said he posted the blog to speak directly to the membership.

"I wanted to assure the membership that the party was not going to dissolve and that any questionability in the eyes of Elections Nova Scotia about our status needed to be clarified as well," he said.

In the post, Charles said he had met with officials from Elections Nova Scotia and assured them a replacement interim leader would be on the job by July 9.

Brynn Nheiley, the party's interim leader who also ran in the 2015 federal election, announced the party was shutting down on the same website June 14. She said a political party can't exist without an active membership.

"That was her opinion and that is not the opinion of the rest of the party," Charles said.

Still registered

The posting from Charles said the Green Party remains a registered party with Elections Nova Scotia and there were no plans to change that.

One of the party's founders in Nova Scotia, Thomas Trappenberg, spoke to CBC's Maritime Noon on Friday and said the party was still trying to figure out what prompted Nheiley to say the party was no more.

"We suspect it is simply growing pains as the provincial party has been seeking a new leader," he said.

Charles agrees with that assessment.

He also suggests the party executive has a differing opinion on the party's future.

"While Ms. Nheiley and some members of the executive have suggested the party can no longer move forward, there are other members of the executive who do not share this perspective," he wrote.

Charles admits party engagement is low at this point, but said it usually is with any political party when it's not election season and it's not a reflection of the amount of support the party has.

Fall election?

He said the party suspects there will be an election this fall — and it would be ready for it.

"There is a 100 per cent chance that the Green Party N.S. will run candidates for the next provincial election," said Charles.

He says the reaction to the party's supposed demise is a good sign.

"The outpouring of supportive comments on social media has certainly illustrated that there is still tremendous support for the Green Party N.S. across this great province," he wrote.

Charles encouraged "all of you who felt that the previous leadership was not to your liking put forward a viable leadership candidate — or become one yourself."