{{Short description|Canadian environmentalist and politician (1927–2019)}} '''Elizabeth Emily Paschen''' (February 26, 1927 - March 14, 2019)<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Elizabeth Emily PASCHEN Obituary (1927 - 2019) The Globe and Mail |url=https://www.legacy.com/ca/obituaries/theglobeandmail/name/elizabeth-paschen-obituary?pid=193092542 |access-date=2022-03-15 |website=Legacy.com}}</ref> was a Canadian environmentalist and former provincial level politician from Alberta, Canada. She served as Leader of the Alberta Greens from its founding in 1990 to 1996.
==Political career== Paschen became leader of the Alberta Greens after founder Norman Conrad moved out of the province.<ref name="appreciate">{{cite web|url=http://www.albertagreens.ca/volunteer/appreciation |title=Appreciation |publisher=Alberta Greens |accessdate=2008-04-18 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080212203058/http://www.albertagreens.ca/volunteer/appreciation |archivedate=2008-02-12 |url-status=dead }}</ref> She first ran for provincial office in a by-election held in the Edmonton-Strathcona electoral district on October 18, 1990. Paschen received 4.54% of the vote and finished fifth out of sixth place, losing to Barrie Chivers a candidate for the New Democrats. She finished ahead of Social Credit leader Robert Alford.<ref name="1990by">{{cite web|url=http://www.elections.ab.ca/Public%20Website/742.htm#dec1990|title=Edmonton-Strathcona By-election official results|publisher=Elections Alberta|date=October 18, 1990|accessdate=2008-04-15|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090607094042/http://www.elections.ab.ca/Public%20Website/742.htm#dec1990|archivedate=June 7, 2009}}</ref>
Paschen lead the party into the 1993 Alberta general election. The party did not make much of an impact as it only fielded a slate of 11 candidates winning 0.20% of the popular vote and finishing second last over all. Paschen ran for a second time in Edmonton-Strathcona. Her popular vote was cut in half from the by-election and she only took 1.5% of the popular vote.<ref name="1993 official">{{cite web | url=http://www.abheritage.ca/abpolitics/database/maps_choice.asp?Year=1993&Constit=Edmonton-Strathcona | title=Edmonton-Strathcona results 1993 Alberta general election | publisher=Alberta Heritage | accessdate=2008-03-08 | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110612173112/http://www.abheritage.ca/abpolitics/database/maps_choice.asp?Year=1993&Constit=Edmonton-Strathcona | archivedate=2011-06-12 }}</ref>
After retiring from provincial politics, Paschen moved to Ontario and became a wind farm operator.<ref name="appreciate"/>
Paschen died on March 14, 2019.<ref name=":0" />
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{s-start}} {{s-ppo}} {{succession box|title=Leader of the Alberta Greens| before=Norman Conrad| after=David Parker| years=1990-1996}} {{s-end}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Paschen, Betty}} Category:1927 births Category:2019 deaths Category:Alberta Greens candidates in Alberta provincial elections Category:Female Canadian political party leaders Category:Women in Alberta politics Category:Leaders of the Alberta Greens
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