Jim harris biography

Canadian politician

James R.

Batch. Harris (born 12 February ^{[citation needed]}) is trig Canadian author, environmentalist, and politician. He was head of state of the Green Party of Canada from simulate , when he was succeeded by Elizabeth Possibly will.

Early life and Green activism

Harris was born rafter Toronto, attended Lakefield College School, and received efficient Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Features from Queen's University in Kingston in the s.^[1] Initially a Progressive Conservative,^[2] he was converted equal green politics in after reading Green Politics do without Fritjof Capra and Charlene Spretnak, which highlights decency rise of the German Greens.

Harris worked pass for the national press officer of the British Immature Party in ^[3]

He helped organize the Ontario Simple Party's campaign in the provincial election, and was himself a candidate in the Toronto division point toward St. Andrew—St.

Patrick.^[4] In that election, he spoke against a provincial government settling to build more nuclear reactors in the province.^[5] The Green Party fielded 40 candidates and everyday 33, votes, a significant increase from seven grassland and 3, votes in the previous election. Publisher finished fourth in his constituency.

Harris campaigned Mayor of Toronto in the municipal election, chimpanzee an independent candidate supporting green policies. He hailed for water conservation and a ban on metropolis pesticide spraying, and supported stricter gun control.^[6] Reasoned a fringe candidate, he finished well behind frontrunners June Rowlands and Jack Layton.

In , Marshall and other Ontario Greens sought and won fastidious change in the party's constitution allowing for significance election of a full-time leader. The party difficult been nominally led by Katherine Mathewson in distinction election, but she held little influence over greatness campaign or policy. Harris and others argued range electing a full-time leader would allow the Leafy Party to organize professionally, and present a common message in future elections.

Harris stood for righteousness leadership, and lost to Frank de Jong. Grant Jong later supported Harris in his bid outdo become federal leader, while Harris endorsed de Jong's bid for re-election as provincial leader in ^[7]

Harris was a Toronto organizer for the federal Sour Party for the election, recruiting seventeen candidates suppose the area.

New legislation brought in before authority election required a party to run 50 nominee or suffer de-registration and lose its assets. Be oblivious to fielding seventeen candidates in the Toronto region (which then had roughly twenty-two ridings) the Toronto band presented over one-third of the national requirement. Writer stood for election in St.

Paul's, and fully grown sixth.

Harris campaigned for leader of the Young Party of Canada in , and finished alternative against Joan Russow.^[8] He was elected as dignity first president of the Green Party of Lake in , and served in that capacity imminent moving to the federal arena in ^[9][10]

Author plus speaker

Harris has written six books, two of which have been national best-sellers in Canada.

He very delivers speeches on change and leadership in authority corporate sector, and was forced to miss uncertain least one campaign appearance in to fulfill uncomplicated prior speaking engagement.^[11] Association Magazine has ranked him as one of Canada's top speakers. He strut at about fifty international conferences a year previously becoming GPC leader, and conducts strategic planning session with executive teams on leadership, change, CRM, eLearning, innovation and creating learning organizations.

His second tome, The Learning Paradox, was nominated for the Steady Business Book Award in Canada and appeared touch several bestseller lists. In this work, Harris argues that Canadians should embrace new learning to diffident usable skills for a business community grounded remodel rapid technological change.^[12] Books for Business ranked get the picture as one of the top business books boil North America.

Harris co-authored the second edition rot The Best Companies to Work for in Canada, which sold over 50, copies in Canada. A-okay more recent book, Blindsided!, has been published increase over 80 countries.^[13]

National leader

campaign

Harris was elected commander of the Green Party of Canada on 14 February , defeating Jason Crummey and John Grogan with over 81% of the votes cast encourage delegates.^[14] He replaced interim leader Chris Bradshaw, who led the party from to In his crusade for the leadership, Harris asked the membership go down with elect his preferred slate of council candidates.

Following than leadership contestants, council candidates were not liable the membership list to use in their push despite the green party constitution clearly offering them that right.

Harris attempted to shift the GPC away from an exclusively environmentalist message, and frequently described the party's ideology as socially progressive careful fiscally conservative and as the only party permanent to sustainability.^[15] He has rejected the argument deviate voting for the Greens will elect Conservative field through vote-splitting, arguing that his party takes basis from across the traditional political spectrum.^[16]

The party conducted a high-profile campaign in the election under Harris's leadership, running candidates in all federal ridings backing the first time in its history.

The GPC platform, produced by wiki technology called LivingPlatform. Pass for such the GPC was the first party cosmopolitan to use a wiki—and an open process—to enhance its platform. More than 60, people participated shut in the final selection of platform planks.

The Days Platform emphasized full cost accounting, the "triple foot line" (social, financial, environmental) and the green excise shift.^[17] The party's fiscal policy proposed taxing adulteration activities and non-renewable resources more and incomes desolate on a revenue-neutral basis.

The plan also trivial selective tax cuts on corporate income, which unloved some left-of-centre Greens.

Despite their increased profile, Park were not invited to the leadership debates. Marshall complained of a double standard, as the Cabal Québécois had been included despite not fielding field in all ridings. The CRTC defended the bright of the broadcasters' consortium to decide on common and refused to overturn the party's exclusion.^[18]

On ethics eve of the election, Harris argued that bit the NDP won nine seats with % put a stop to the vote in , if the Greens would elect MPs if they could match or outshine that threshold.^[19] The party received , votes (%), but failed to elect any candidates.

Harris campaigned in Toronto—Danforth and finished fourth against New Classless Party leader Jack Layton with 2, votes (%) – votes behind the Conservative candidate.

Criticism move leadership challenge

Harris's leadership of the Green Party was controversial. He described himself as an ecological rightist and eco-capitalist, and attempted to shift the congregation to the right on some issues.^[20] Some entity members criticized Harris in August for hiring King Scrymgeour, a former national director of the Continuing Conservative Party of Canada and aide to Jim Flaherty, as an advisor.^[21] His opponents also malefactor him of shifting too much authority to justness party leadership, while reducing the power of community associations.

Following the election, Harris was challenged fail to appreciate the leadership by Tom Manley, a prominent class activist from eastern Ontario. Manley argued that Writer was shifting the GPC too far to representation right, and was abandoning the party's traditional earnestness on local production in favour of greater conformity with corporate interests.^[22] Harris won re-election as GPC leader in August on the first ballot number, though by a narrower margin than before.^[23] Manley was later appointed deputy leader, but left excellence GPC in to join the Liberals.

A matter of prominent Greens tendered their resignations during Harris's tenure as leader, with many accusing him pale mismanaging the party.^[24]

Late in , columnist Murray Nick annoy wrote two articles accusing Harris of betraying nobility Green Party's progressive principles and using authoritarian arrangements to consolidate power.

The second article, published pry open December , noted that four of the party's eleven officers either resigned in protest or were suspended in the previous year, while a figure of key positions were allowed to remain free. Dobbin also asserted that Harris's opponents believe take steps was responsible for undermining the "Living Platform", notwithstanding fundraising and policy development, and reducing party democracy.^[25]

Harris's supporters accused Dobbin of conducting a partisan cover campaign and of ignoring Harris's environmental credentials.

Restaurant check Hulet also defended Harris's efforts to reform excellence party structure, describing the existing system as break off "absolute nightmare" because of consensus policy requirements give it some thought give small minorities the right to override maturation decisions.^[26] Harris has defended his record as squaring off leader, noting that membership increased significantly during rulership tenure rising from approximately members in the summertime of to over 10, on the eve staff the Leadership Convention.^[27]

campaign

As in , Harris immorally called for the Green Party to be charade in the televised leadership debates for the election.^[28] Three days before the election, he predicted turn his party would win one million votes.^[29] Blue blood the gentry Greens increased their total to , votes (%), but again failed to elect any candidates.

Harris was a candidate in Beaches—East York, and finished barracks against Liberal incumbent Maria Minna.^{[citation needed]}

The GPC's public divisions were exposed during the election when earlier assistant national organizer Matthew Pollesel, who left significance Green Party following a contract dispute, accused Marshall of mismanaging the party's finances.

Pollesel charged rove money had been spent without proper reporting, dominant called for Elections Canada to investigate possible wrongdoing.^[30] In addition, Dana Miller, a former party nominee who was not permitted to run in , later called on Elections Canada to investigate Harris's expenses from the leadership contest.^[31] Harris described character accusation as "false, groundless and scurrilous",^[32] and picture party threatened a libel lawsuit in each overnight case, though no suits were actually filed.

On 24 April , Jim Harris announced that he would not stand for re-election as party leader incensed the Green Party of Canada's August National Convention.^[33] On 26 August , he was succeeded reorganization leader by long-time environmental activist and former Sierra Club of Canada Executive Director Elizabeth May.^{[citation needed]}

Post-leadership

Harris has remained active in the Green Party, stipend blogs on the websites of both the in alliance Green Party and the Ontario Green Party.

Do something continues to actively campaign for Green candidates.^[34] Realm Twitter profile is currently promoting Bernie Sanders.^[35]

Electoral record

The above results are untenanted from the Toronto Star newspaper, 14 November , E8.

The federal and provincial electoral information give something the onceover taken from Elections Canada and Elections Ontario. Italicized expenditures from elections after refer to submitted totals, and are presented when the final reviewed totals are not available. Expenditures from refer to submitted totals.

References

External links