This was her first electoral success in eight attempts, and she was the first person elected under the Green Party banner to the council of a major Canadian city.

She left teaching at Langara College in 1989 to work full-time for the Western Canada Wilderness Committee, having been a volunteer for WCWC from shortly after it was co-founded by her later-to-be husband, Paul George and Richard Krieger.

During her time working for WCWC, among other things, Carr led the organization's international campaigns and played a lead role in bringing together First Nations, environmental groups, logging companies and all levels of government in the successful campaign to establish a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in Clayoquot Sound.

Carr ran in the two-member electoral district (called a riding in Canada) of Vancouver-Point Grey, and finished last in a field of eight candidates with 1549 votes.

A leadership contest was held, and on 23 September 2000, Carr defeated Andy Shadrack and Wally du Temple to become party leader for a second time.

Carr ran in the 2001 election in the riding of Powell River-Sunshine Coast, against former Liberal leader and then-NDP cabinet minister Gordon Wilson.

In 2004, Carr ran for the Greens in a by-election in Surrey-Panorama Ridge, held following the resignation of Liberal Gulzar Singh Cheema.

[citation needed] When the Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform recommended a single-transferable vote system, Carr expressed strong opposition, favouring MMP.

At the annual Green convention following the 2005 election, Carr received 85 percent approval in a confidence vote among party membership.

In the 2008 federal election, Carr ran as the Green candidate in the Vancouver Centre riding against Liberal incumbent Hedy Fry.

Carr ran for city council in the 2011 municipal election as the lone Green Party of Vancouver candidate.