Alex Tyrrell

Alex Tyrrell (born 23 March 1988) is a Canadian politician who has served as the leader of the Green Party of Quebec since 2013.[1] Elected party leader at 25 years old, he is presently the youngest leader of a provincial political party in Canada.[2]

Alex Tyrrell
Leader of the Green Party of Quebec
Assumed office
21 September 2013
Preceded byClaude Sabourin
Personal details
Born (1988-03-23) 23 March 1988
Beaconsfield, Quebec, Canada
NationalityCanadian
Political partyGreen Party of Quebec
Other political
affiliations		Green Party of Canada (federal)
New Democratic Party (2006–2012)
Alma materConcordia University
Websitewww.pvq.qc.ca

Early life and education

Born in 1988, Tyrrell grew up in Beaconsfield on the West Island of Montreal.[3]

Following his secondary education, Tyrrell enrolled in the Mechanical Engineering Technology program at Montreal's Dawson College.[2] During his technical studies at the CEGEP, he worked on the issues of biofuels and became involved in an advocacy campaign to finance a project of design of electric vehicles for the students of his department.

In 2011, Tyrrell enrolled in an environmental science program at Concordia University in Montreal, focusing his studies to better understand the problems of pollution, the impacts of climate change, and issues related to the environment. During the course of his degree, Tyrrell studied the negative environmental impact of mining and resource extraction in Quebec. He graduated in June 2017.[4]

Social activism

In spring 2012, Tyrrell was actively involved in the Maple Spring student protests.[5]

Later in 2012, Tyrrell actively participated in the Indigenous-rights 'Idle No More' demonstrations in Montreal, meeting movement leader Raymond Robinson.[4][6] During Robinson's hunger strikes, he and Tyrrell developed a friendship, leading to Tyrrell, in April 2013, being named communications officer for the project. Tyrrell participated in meetings with the Chief of The First Nations Assembly and the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs.[6]

Tyrrell's involvement with Idle No More led to his participation in Indigenous-led protests against shale gas exploration in New Brunswick.[7]

Federal politics

Tyrrell became involved in politics in 2006 with the New Democratic Party during the early years of Jack Layton's leadership.[4]

During his involvement with the New Democrats, Tyrrell held several positions on the Executive Committee of the riding of Lac St-Louis and participated in the 2008 and 2011 election campaigns, serving as the chief organizer for the NDP campaign in this constituency and, subsequently, as president of the local association.[7] Following the campaign, he volunteered with Pierrefonds-Dollard MP Lysane Blanchette-Lamothe.[7]

During the 2011-2012 NDP leadership race, he supported the candidacy of Nathan Cullen, becoming the co-organizer of his campaign in Quebec.[7] Following the victory of Thomas Mulcair, Tyrrell stepped back from the federal political scene and turned his commitment to the student movement.

Tyrrell had been mulling a run for the leadership of the federal Green Party after Elizabeth May gave mixed comments about whether or not she would resign the leadership after the election.[8] May subsequently resigned on 4 November 2019, triggering a leadership election. He declared his candidacy on 15 January 2020,[9] but suspended his campaign on 3 June 2020.[10]

Green Party of Quebec

Following the student protests of 2012, Tyrrell became interested in provincial politics, becoming involved with the Green Party of Quebec by submitting his candidacy in the riding of Jacques-Cartier.[6][2]

During the 2014 campaign, Tyrrell finished in third in the riding of Notre-Dame-de-Grâce with 4.5% of the vote, earning the second highest number of votes for a Green candidate in that election.

Party leader

Following the party's sagging fortunes in the 2012 campaign, including a public incident in which a journalist with the newspaper La Presse was able to secure candidacy with the party without vetting, incumbent Green Party leader Claude Sabourin resigned.[11] Tyrrell was the first candidate to declare his intention to seek the leadership of the party.

Tyrrell campaigned on the slogan "Uniting the PVQ", a direct reference to the internal divisions that he saw as preventing the party from advancing in Quebec politics. He proposed to unite the party around progressive values, to modernize the program, and to return the party clearly to the left of the provincial scene.[12] Tyrrell proposed to broaden the party's environment-oriented agenda to present a more comprehensive platform that called for massive investments in public services such as health and education.[2]

On 21 September 2013, Tyrrell won the leadership of the party, beating Sainte-Justine-de-Newton mayor Patricia Domingos, former Action démocratique du Québec candidate Marc-André Beauchemin, and party activist Pierre Étienne Loignon.[13]

Soon after assuming the leadership of the party, Tyrrell was faced with opposition from the party's executive. Tyrrell summarily dismissed the executive on 3 December 2013, an act which dismissed members said violated the party's statutes and regulations.[14]

Following the calming of internal tensions, Tyrrell participated in the adopted a new political program for the party that addressed environmental issues, recognized social struggles, and adopted an eco-socialist position for the 2014 general election.[5]

Soon after his election as leader, Tyrrell faced off against newly elected Liberal leader Philippe Couillard in a by-election held in Outremont.[3]

By positioning the Quebec Green Party on the left of the political spectrum, Tyrrell and federal Green Party leader Elizabeth May had a public falling out, with leaked emails indicating May had said to federal members: "Please, as a federal Green, do nothing to associate yourself with Alex [Tyrrell, leader of the Quebec Green Party]."[15] May's positions on issues such as the federal Green Party's support for the BDS movement led to Tyrrell labeling May's leadership as "detrimental" to the green movement in Canada.[16]

During the 2017 by-election in the riding of Gouin, Tyrrell announced he would be seeking the seat, and positioned the Green Party of Quebec as a progressive federalist political party.[17]

Tyrell again contested a by-election in 2017, seeking the seat of Louis-Hébert, left vacant after the resignation of Employment Minister Sam Hamad.[18]

Tyrell again contested the 2018 provincial election and a by-election in 2018.

Electoral results
Quebec provincial by-election, 10 December 2018
Resignation of Philippe Couillard
Party Candidate Votes%±%
Coalition Avenir QuébecNancy Guillemette8,36954.53+30.37
Parti QuébécoisThomas Gaudreault2,68817.51-1.51
LiberalWilliam Laroche2,33415.21-27.25
Québec solidaireLuc-Antoine Cauchon1,58410.32-0.38
ConservativeCarl C. Lamontagne1721.12-0.60
Citoyens au pouvoirJulie Boucher1211.12-0.31
GreenAlex Tyrrell800.52
Total valid votes 15,38499.45
Total rejected ballots 850.55-0.89
Turnout 15,43334.67-28.72
Electors on the list 44,509
Coalition Avenir Québec gain from Liberal Swing +28.81
2018 Quebec general election
Party Candidate Votes%±%
LiberalIsabelle Melançon11,05435.51-0.10
Québec solidaireVanessa Roy7,45723.95+5.37
Coalition Avenir QuébecNicole Leduc6,34320.38+7.65
Parti QuébécoisConstantin Fortier3,92912.62-14.53
GreenAlex Tyrrell1,1573.72-0.56
New DemocraticRaphaël Fortin7172.30-
ConservativeYedidya-Eitan Moryoussef2170.70+0.05
Parti nulMarc-André Milette1510.49-
Bloc PotHugo Richard760.24-
Marxist–LeninistEileen Studd290.09-
Total valid votes 31,13098.88
Total rejected ballots 3541.12
Turnout 31,48463.19
Eligible voters 49,826
Quebec provincial by-election, 2 October 2017
On the resignation of Sam Hamad
Party Candidate Votes%±%
Coalition Avenir QuébecGeneviève Guilbault12,09151.04+25.12
LiberalIhssane El Ghernati4,43318.71-30.51
Parti QuébécoisNormand Beauregard3,85216.26-2.11
Québec solidaireGuillaume Boivin1,2355.21+0.27
ConservativeSylvie Asselin9764.12+3.29
GreenAlex Tyrrell4872.06–
New DemocraticDenis Blanchette3191.35–
IndependentVincent Bégin2150.91–
Option nationaleMartin St-Louis610.26-0.45
Équipe autonomisteJean-Luc Rouckout180.08–
Total valid votes 23,68799.20
Total rejected ballots 1900.80
Turnout 23,87752.43
Electors on the lists 45,540–
Coalition Avenir Québec gain from Liberal Swing +27.82
Quebec provincial by-election, 2017
Party Candidate Votes%±%
Québec solidaireGabriel Nadeau-Dubois9,87269.30+18.32
LiberalJonathan Marleau1,2698.91-8.89
Option nationaleVanessa Dion1,1167.83+6.70
Coalition Avenir QuébecBenjamin Bélair9546.70-1.97
GreenAlex Tyrrell6514.57–
Bloc PotJean-Patrick Berthiaume1130.79–
Parti indépendantisteAlexandre Cormier-Denis810.57–
ConservativeSamuel Fillion-Doiron700.49–
Parti des sans PartiNicole Goulet340.24–
Parti libreMichel Leclerc340.24–
IndependentFrançois-Xavier Richard-Choquette240.17–
IndependentSébastien Théodore150.11–
Équipe autonomisteLouis Chandonnet120.08–
Total valid votes 14,24598.32–
Total rejected ballots 2431.68–
Turnout 14,48832.79-40.39
Electors on the lists 44,185––
Québec solidaire hold Swing +13.55
Quebec provincial by-election, 11 April 2016
Party Candidate Votes%±%
Parti QuébécoisMireille Jean8,81046.69+12.21
LiberalFrancyne Gobeil5,70030.21+0.65
Coalition Avenir QuébecHélène Girard2,21611.74-5.71
Québec solidairePierre Dostie1,5087.99+1.54
GreenAlex Tyrrell4652.46
Option nationaleCatherine Bouchard-Tremblay1700.90-0.10
Total valid votes 18,86998.43
Total rejected ballots 3011.57-0.11
Turnout 19,17041.11-29.46
Electors on the lists 46,626–
Parti Québécois hold Swing +5.78
2014 Quebec general election
Party Candidate Votes%±%
LiberalKathleen Weil22,33676.61+13.96
Québec solidaireAnnick Desjardins2,1647.42-1.14
Coalition Avenir QuébecNoah Sidel1,6495.66-7.96
Parti QuébécoisOlivier Sirard1,6105.52-2.77
GreenAlex Tyrrell1,3184.52-1.20
Marxist–LeninistRachel Hoffman780.27-0.01
Total valid votes 29,15599.35–
Total rejected ballots 1920.65–
Turnout 29,34772.50+4.56
Electors on the lists 40,476––
Quebec provincial by-election, 9 December 2013
Party Candidate Votes%±%
LiberalPhilippe Couillard5,58255.11+13.59
Québec solidaireÉdith Laperle3,26432.23+14.21
Option nationaleJulie Surprenant6776.68+4.97
GreenAlex Tyrrell3843.79–
ConservativePierre Ennio Crespi1451.43–
Parti nulMathieu Marcil590.58-0.34
Autonomist TeamGuy Boivin170.17–
Total valid votes 10,12899.13–
Total rejected ballots 890.87–
Turnout 10,21726.42-41.79
Electors on the lists 38,671––
Liberal hold Swing -0.41
2012 Quebec general election
Party Candidate Votes%±%
LiberalGeoffrey Kelley24,52573.11-7.74
Coalition Avenir QuébecPaola L. Hawa5,00614.92+11.09*
GreenAlex Tyrrell1,5224.54-2.97
Parti QuébécoisOlivier Gendreau1,2323.67-2.35
Québec solidaireFrançois-Xavier Charlebois8592.56+1.12
IndependentFrancis Juneau1890.56–
Option nationaleRaphaël Hébert1280.38–
Quebec Citizens' UnionÁgnes Mina Barti860.26–
Total valid votes 33,54799.47–
Total rejected ballots 1780.53–
Turnout 33,72576.89+24.12
Electors on the lists 43,861––

References
  1. Perreault-Chamberland, Eric. "Alex Tyrrell - Chef du PVQ", pvq.qc.ca, accessed 25 December 2015.
  2. Summers, Jonathan. "Concordia Student to Lead Quebec Green Party," The Link, 1 October 2013.
  3. Symon, John. "Alex Tyrrell runs for Greens against Philippe Couillard", Montreal Times, 14 November 2013.
  4. Parti vert du Québec. "Alex Tyrrell - PVP Chief", www.pvq.qc.ca, accessed 3 March 2018.
  5. Craig, Savanna. "Alex Tyrrell on leading the Quebec Green Party while studying at Concordia," The Concordian, 1 March 2017.
  6. Van Horn, Cecily. "Alex Tyrrell, Green Party of Quebec candidate for NDG", Les Actualités, 24 March 2014.
  7. Robitaille, Antoine. "The Green Party wants you to remember the name of its leader", Le Devoir, 7 October 2013.
  8. "Quebec's Green Party leader eyeing federal job if Elizabeth May steps down". CBC News. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  9. Laframbroise, Kalina (15 January 2020). "Quebec Green Party leader officially launches bid to replace Elizabeth May". Global News. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  10. "Alex Tyrrell Withdraws From Green Party of Canada Leadership Race". 3 June 2020. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  11. Sauves, Ewan. "Green Candidate at a glance," La Presse, 21 August 2012.
  12. Lévesque, Catherine. "Elections 2014 - Green Party of Quebec: against the Charter and for ecosocialism", HuffPost Québec, 11 March 2014.
  13. d'Astous, Caroline. "Quebec Green Party: the name of the new leader will soon be known", HuffPost Québec, 20 September 2013.
  14. Champagne, Vincent. "Internal struggles within the Quebec Green Party", Radio-Canada, 7 February 2014.
  15. Cox, Ethan. "Elizabeth May ordered deputies not to associate with leader of Quebec Greens," Ricochet.ca, 15 September 2017.
  16. Nuttall, Jeremy (15 September 2016). "May to Weaver: No Extremist Fringe Elements in Green Party". The Tyee. Archived from the original on 2 March 2018. Retrieved 4 March 2018.
  17. The Canadian Press (29 April 2017). "Green Party leader will take on Nadeau-Dubois in Gouin by-election". CTV Montreal. Retrieved 4 March 2018.
  18. QMI Agency (7 September 2017). "Alex Tyrrell, Green Party candidate in Louis-Hébert". Le Journal de Québec. Retrieved 4 March 2018.
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