May, Elizabeth

Elizabeth Evans May (born June 9, 1954) is a Canadian politician, environmentalist, lawyer, activist, and author. She has served as the member of Parliament (MP) for Saanich—Gulf Islands since 2011. May is the leader of the Green Party of Canada, having first held the position from 2006 to 2019. She returned to the leadership in 2022, initially as co-leader with Jonathan Pedneault and is now serving as the party's sole and outgoing leader following his resignation. May is the longest-serving female leader of a Canadian federal party, and the first member of the Green Party to be elected to the House of Commons. From 1989 to 2006, she was the executive director of the Sierra Club Canada. In 2005, May was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada, and the United Nations has recognized her as one of the world's leading women environmentalists. She is the author of eight books, including her memoir Who We Are – Reflections of My Life and Canada, which was a Globe and Mail bestseller.