Island Green Party candidates are jumping to their leader’s defence after a snub that will keep her out of the national televised leadership debate.
A broadcast consortium made up of CBC, Radio-Canada, CTV, Global and TVA have decided not to invite Green Party leader Elizabeth May to the televised debate because her party didn’t have a sitting MP when the house dissolved.
Malpeque Green candidate Peter Bevan-Baker said the consortium’s rules state a party needs a sitting member, but when May wasn’t included during the last election the party had an MP in the house.
“Even with a sitting member we had to fight for Elizabeth to be included so it’s like they keep moving the goal post and I’m not quite sure what the motivation for that is,” he said.
In the 2008 election the Greens finished well behind the other main parties, but still managed to get 6.8 per cent of the vote.
The Green Party plans to run a full slate of candidates across the country, unlike the Bloc Quebecois, but Bevan-Baker said he doesn’t disagree with Bloc leader Gilles Duceppe’s inclusion.
“I’m just saying surely if you include somebody for whom only 25 per cent of the electorate has any opportunity to vote for then you should include somebody who represents a party that’s running candidates coast to coast.”
Bevan-Baker said he was disappointed to hear she wouldn’t be included because for many voters the only point of contact they have in the election is the leaders debate.
“If she’s not there it’s as if the Green Party doesn’t exist. We have a hard enough time gaining credibility and press space alongside all the other parties without what I would consider to be an unjustified exclusion.”
The last time May wasn’t included in the debate there was a public backlash that led to the consortium reversing its stance and allowing her to take part, which Bevan-Baker said he wouldn’t be surprised to see happen again this time.
“I think it’s because Canadians are essentially a fair and reasonable people and I think they recognize when an injustice is being meted out.”
Bevan-Baker said there are other political parties that also aren’t being included, but those parties don’t have the same level of support in the polls, aren’t running a full slate of candidates and don’t have a professional, paid leader like May.
“We were a fringe party 20 years ago. We’re no longer a fringe party. We’re a force in Canadian politics and we should be included.”
Cardigan Green candidate Leslie Stewart agreed and called the parties that were invited an “old boys club.”
“They really don’t want to open the door to anyone else,” he said.
Readers can also take part in our online poll that asks if May should be included in the televised debate.
rross@theguardian.pe.ca
Tim is right. If the people in a community want to sink money into something that will bring business to the community, I agree it would serve them well to hold some kind of benefit to resurect and repait the lighthouse. Healthcare is hurting....my tax dollars need to be wisely spent.