Annamie Paul

Place of Birth: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Date of Birth: November 3, 1972

Ethnicity:
*father – Dominica
*mother – Saint Kitts and Nevis

Annamie Paul is a Canadian politician, activist, and lawyer. She was Leader of the Green Party, from October 3, 2020 to November 10, 2021. She was the second person of colour, and the first Jewish woman, to lead a major federal party in Canada.

Annamie was born in Toronto, to parents who had emigrated to Canada in the 1960s. Her father is from Dominica. Her mother is from Saint Kitts and Nevis. Her parents are both black. Her sister is actress, writer, director, and producer Ngozi Paul.

Annamie is married to international human rights lawyer Mark Freeman, with whom she has two children. She converted to Judaism in 2000. Her husband is Jewish.

Jagmeet Singh, who has led the NDP since 2017, is the first person of colour to lead a major federal party in Canada.

Annamie is one of three people of Jewish heritage and/or religion to have led a major federal party in Canada, on a non-interim basis. David Lewis, who was a Russian Jewish immigrant, led the NDP from 1971 to 1975, and Andrew Scheer, a Catholic with a Jewish grandfather, led the Conservative Party from 2017 to 2020.

Sources: Interviews with Annamie about her background and Jewish faith – https://www.jewishpostandnews.ca
http://www.jewishpostandnews.ca
https://www.tvo.org