Support growing for May to participate in televised leaders’ debates
Posted March 30, 2011 1:31 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Green Party Leader Elizabeth May has quickly garnered a fair amount of support, after she was once again excluded from taking part in the broadcasted federal election debates.
New Democratic Party Leader Jack Layton said Wednesday it would be good to have May at the debates, which marks a strong shift in position from 2008, when Layton and other federal party leaders threatened to boycott the debate should May be allowed to take part.
The broadcast consortium that organizes and will televise the two federal leaders’ debates decided against inviting May this year. The group, which includes CBC, Radio-Canada, CTV, Global and TVA, said they invited the Conservatives, Liberals, NDP and Bloc Québécois because they possess seats in the House of Commons.
A similar situation occurred in 2008, but organizers eventually caved and allowed May to take part in the debates, following strong public criticism and the threat of legal action by the Green Party Leader.
Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe also offered strong words of encouragement for May, lending his party’s support to her cause.
“Well last time we supported Ms. May, we agreed that she should be in the debate, and she publicly said that she was happy that I did so, so same thing this year,” Duceppe said.
Conservative Leader Stephen Harper has remained neutral when it comes to May’s participation, saying it is up to the consortium to decide the rules.
“We can have a traditional debate of parliamentary leaders, we could have a debate that includes Ms. May in such a format, we could have a debate that includes every party that’s on the ballot,” Harper said. “We could also have a debate between Mr. Ignatieff and myself, since afterall, the real choice in this election is a choice between a Conservative government or an Ignatieff led government that all of these other parties will support.”
Meanwhile, Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff took his stance Tuesday night, telling reporters in Vancouver May deserves a spot in the debate.
“I think Elizabeth May belongs in the debate, it’s as simple as that,” Ignatieff said.
The CBC reported May has hired a lawyer, and is willing to take legal action should she not be given a spot in the televised debates.
