Monday August 11, 2025 | VICTORIA, BC
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
The BC Green Party held a leadership 2025 content platform presentation Zoom call last week.
The two-hour August 7 evening virtual event was attended by party members and some media.
The three candidates are: Adam Bremner-Akins, Emily Lowan, and Jonathan Kerr.
The call was hosted by Jo-Ann Roberts (former Deputy Leader and Former Interim Leader of the Green Party of Canada) all the way from PEI. She tahnked the three candidates for “the strength of their passion and ideas”.
BC Greens Interim Leader Jeremy Valeriote delivered some remarks as well.
The new leader will be chosen by BC Green Party members with voting taking place Saturday September 13 to Tuesday September 23. The results will be announced on September 24.
In our editorial view, here are some takeaways from the August 7 presentations:
Emily Lowan has the leadership vibe. She may slightly over-dramatize with some of her imagery but she sees a vision for the party going toward that feels wholesome and connected with bigger socioeconomic issues. By contrast, the other two candidates — while very different in career backgrounds, are seeking to fit in. Lowan talked about building power for the people and being on the alert for far-right forces in politics and challenges to people’s mental health in a complex society. She is the big-picture thinker but talks in practical terms of “growing our leverage to challenge these forces”. She talks about corporations that push hard against “soft politics”. She said she worked on the national political stage and “knows what it takes to build real networks”. To BC Greens on the call she said in her summary: “You’re looking for a leader who can revive our energy and organize toward real substantive solutions.” She added: “Let’s show British Columbians who feel abandoned that we will have their backs, even when it’s hard.” She says the party has recently increased youth membership by eight-fold. “We’ve given countless people hope for the future.”
Jonathan Kerr: Especially with all his references to his own medical practice, one wonders why he would not be focusing on that when there is such a doctor shortage in BC. It feels like a strategic career move without heart; he talks about ‘transferable skills’ between being a family doctor and an elected official, highlighting the ability to listen to “patients or constituents”. Does he see veering into politics of the sort that is not mainstream (despite good achievements by the BC Greens within the legislative process) as something he would stick to for the long term, as the party needs? He talks about “diagnosis and root causes”, as another parallel as he sees it. “Treatment or finding solutions” is “by leading or being part of a a great team”. It feels stretched and contrived. He talked about “moving to a preventative health-care system that keeps people well” — in saying that in his closing remarks he seemed to find his groove of enthusiasm. He wants to see mental health as the “fourth option” for 911 calls. Kerr summarized that the provinces needs leadership on the environment, housing, economy and health care but one gets the feeling that he may be a single-issue candidate.
Adam Bremner-Akins has fit into the workings of community and party politics, taking many good positions and likely serving well. But fitting into the mechanics of a party is not the same as leading it. In his closing remarks he talked about “championing membership-driven policy”. He emphasized about “working from the ground up” including organizing riding associations, done field work, trained volunteers, served as party secretary, served as committee chairs, shown up in communities” but that he has “stayed connected to real life as a student and service worker”. He has run for MLA twice, saying he knows what it takes to get out the vote.
Last month, Island Social Trends published the bio profile of each of the three candidates: Adam Bremner-Akins, Emily Lowan, and Jonathan Kerr.
Background:
Emily Lowan:
“I am thrilled to announce my candidacy for Leader of the BC Green Party,” said Lowan. “These are not normal times. British Columbians are facing unprecedented challenges—from a crushing affordability crisis to the accelerating climate emergency.”
“This isn’t just about winning an election, it’s about building a powerful movement to transform BC for the better,” said Lowan in the party’s July 3 news release.
Jonathan Kerr:
Jonathan Kerr is a family doctor and a local Comox municipal councillor.
He worked on a committee that brought 45 family doctors to his community. He has focused on making housing more accessible and affordable, and his community more healthy, sustainable and connected.
Adam Bremner-Akins:
Adam Bremner-Akins is a political science student at Simon Fraser University and an environmentalist.
In 2020, Bremner-Akins ran to become an MLA. Shortly after, he was invited to become a member of the BC Greens’ Provincial Council as an At Large Representative. In 2024.
Interim leader:
Currently the interim leader of the BC Green Party is Jeremy Valeriote (MLA for West Vancouver-Sea to Sky).
Timeline:
- The first official leadership contest event, “Meet & Green”, will take place on Friday, July 11, at The Nest (UBC Campus) at 6133 University Blvd (Vancouver) and online.
- Contestant town hall in August
- Contestant debate in September.
- Voting will take place from Saturday September 13 to Tuesday September 23.
- Results expected the morning of Wednesday September 24.
===== RELATED:
- BC Greens leadership race underway in summer 2025 (July 3, 2025)
- BC Greens announce 2025 leadership contest rules (February 27, 2025)
- BC Green Leader Sonia Furstenau steps down (January 28, 2025)
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