In 1946, after the sudden death of Royal Maitland, the leader of the British Columbia Progressive Conservatives, Green was courted for the job.

[1] However, Premier John Hart got around the problem by appointing a Liberal as attorney general while naming two more Tories to cabinet.

[3] Green was a fierce critic of Louis St. Laurent and Lester B. Pearson's actions in the Suez Crisis.

He was a strong supporter of the Commonwealth of Nations and advocated nuclear disarmament, backing Diefenbaker's position against having Canada accept nuclear-tipped Bomarc missiles—a position that led to the resignation of several ministers and contributed to the fall of the Diefenbaker government.

He helped promote the country's international role until he was defeated along with the Tory government in the 1963 federal election.