Elizabeth May, leader of the Green Party of Canada, will be opening a new chapter of her life in 2019.
The MP for the riding of Saanich-Gulf Islands鈥攚ho describes herself as a hard-working single mom for the last 24 years鈥攚ill be getting married on April 22, to Ashcroft, B.C. resident John Kidder.
Kidder 鈥� a retired technology entrepreneur who now operates a hops farm on his family鈥檚 Ashcroft property 鈥� was, in 1983, one of the founders of the Green Party of B.C., the first Green party in North America. He ran as a federal Liberal candidate in the Okanagan-Coquihalla riding in 2011 and as a provincial Green Party candidate in the Fraser-Nicola riding in the 2013 B.C. election.
That was when the pair met, when May went to Merritt to support Kidder鈥檚 candidacy.
鈥淲e went to a number of events around Merritt, and have been friends ever since,鈥� says May. 鈥淏ut I don鈥檛 have much personal time.鈥�
Kidder says he found May 鈥渃harming in every way鈥� when they first met. 鈥淚 thought 鈥榃hat a lovely woman.鈥� When she drove away I knew we鈥檇 see each other again.鈥�
Despite May鈥檚 hectic schedule and the geographic difficulties鈥擬ay splits her time between Ottawa and her home in Sidney on Vancouver Island, while Kidder lives in Vancouver and the B.C. Interior鈥攖he pair managed to see each other a few times. 鈥淛ohn found strategic ways to show up at places where I was,鈥� explains May.
The friendship soon grew into a fondness. Then, in September 2018, they both attended the Green Party convention in Vancouver. 鈥淭he sparks flew,鈥� says Kidder, who proposed just over a month later.
May has a daughter, three stepchildren, and seven grandchildren, while Kidder 鈥� the brother of actress Margot Kidder 鈥� has three children and four grandchildren. Both say their families are very happy with the news, and that their children will be at the wedding to give them away.
鈥淚鈥檓 really lucky, with great kids and a great family, and now I鈥檓 getting married to a really great man,鈥� says May.
鈥淚 get in and out of Vancouver, and now I鈥檒l have to try get in and out of Ashcroft. With my schedule, it鈥檚 a miracle we鈥檙e together at all.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 beyond perfect,鈥� says Kidder. 鈥淎t this late stage in my life it鈥檚 a blessing. I feel re-born.
鈥淎nd Elizabeth is marvellous. We both know how difficult political relationships are, but we鈥檙e both able to deal with this. I鈥檓 looking forward to a glorious time together.鈥�
鈥淲e鈥檙e ideally well-suited,鈥� says May. 鈥淚鈥檓 in my 65th year; to find true love is a miracle.鈥�
editorial@accjournal.ca
Like us on and follow us on
