Struggling with money trouble and internal conflict, Green Party cuts staff
Senior party officials say 11 people are being temporarily laid off
Layoffs are once again hitting the Green Party as party brass look to shave costs in an organization facing persistent financial and political problems.
Three senior party officials — who were granted anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about internal matters — said the party is temporarily laying off half of its staff, effective today.
The sources said Green Party executive director Dana Taylor met one-on-one with affected workers throughout the day to inform them.
Green Party Federal Council president Lorraine Rekmans and Green Party Fund co-president Corinna Serda later confirmed to CBC's Power & Politics that 11 people are being laid off.
WATCH | Green Party senior leaders speak about the struggles facing their party
The layoffs will affect staff in the office of leader Annamie Paul and in communications and mobilization — a partial repeat of temporary layoffs announced last June.
Paul — who announced last month she would resign and has little influence over the layoffs — remains in the top spot as she negotiates with Green executives about compensation for costs incurred during her legal battles with the party, sources say.
On top of financial issues, the Greens fared poorly during the recent federal election. They held on to two seats in the House of Commons but saw their share of the popular vote tumble to two per cent — capping a year marked by power struggles, bitter feuds and New Brunswick MP Jenica Atwin's defection to the Liberals.
