Chris Lea

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Chris Lea is a politician and political activist in Canada. He was the leader of the Green Party of Canada from 1990 to 1996. He is, to date, the party's longest-serving leader. Lea is notable for being the first openly gay political party leader in Canadian history.

Lea lives in Toronto. Formerly a professional architect, he is currently the Facility Manager of Hart House at the University of Toronto and a board member of the Toronto Opera Repertoire. During the 1980s, he contributed articles to The Body Politic, a periodical focusing on gay issues.

Lea began a side career as an opera performer in 2002, and in February 2005 undertook his first on-stage solo in a performance of Gioacchino Rossini's The Barber of Seville.

The Green Party of Canada's internal organization was very decentralized in the early 1990s, and its leadership position was effectively a nominal title. Lea does not appear to have exercised any personal influence over party policy during his time as leader. After 1996, the party's leadership became more centralized.

As party leader, Lea campaigned for the Canadian House of Commons in the 1993 federal election, and received 623 votes in the Toronto riding of Trinity—Spadina for a sixth-place finish. He also campaigned for the Ontario legislature in the 1995 provincial election as a candidate of the Green Party of Ontario, and received 241 votes in the Toronto riding of St. George—St. David. He has not sought federal or provincial office since this time, though he remains active within the Green Party. In 1998, he was chosen as the party's Chief Agent.

Lea has long been an ally of Jim Harris in the Toronto Green community, and supported Harris's bid for re-election as party leader in 2004.

Preceded by Kathryn Cholette

Green Party of Canada leaders 1990-1996

Succeeded by Wendy Priesnitz

	Leaders of the Green Party of Canada (edit):
Trevor Hancock | Seymour Trieger | Kathryn Cholette | Chris Lea | Wendy Priesnitz | Harry Garfinkle | Joan Russow | Chris Bradshaw | Jim Harris | Elizabeth May