The Election Debates

I have heard that the Green Party is now being allowed in the election debates. Elizabeth May has triumphed. What she hasn’t done is assure me that she is any more honest than any other political leader.

I realize the importance of being seen on the same stage as the other leaders. I just wish that I had the confidence that it had been done in an honest manner.

My understanding is that to be part of the televised debates your party had to have a seat in the House of Commons. Enter Blair Wilson. He was a former Liberal member who became independent then joined the Green Party.

The next step was for Elizabeth May to start shouting that now that the Green Party had a member of Parliament, she should be allowed to be part of the leaders’ debate.

To this date the Green Party has never had a person elected. Seldom have their candidates even finished in second place, yet they want the same voice as the other major parties.

To start, the whole situation seems fishy. The Liberal Party and the Green Party have agreed not to field opposing candidates in two ridings to increase the potential of their people getting elected. Now that’s democracy for you, isn’t it? So we now have a former Liberal party member shifting to the Green Party. Doesn’t that sound a bit suspicious?

I wonder what would have happened if Blair Wilson had joined the Natural Law Party, Canadian Heritage Party or Communist Party of Canada. Would the same outcry have happened? My feeling is that it wouldn’t have been an issue at all.

Then why did it make a difference with Elizabeth May? She has spent years as a lobbyist nationally and internationally. She is well connected and also knows how to whip the media into a frenzy. There was a letter in our local paper this week about including her in the debate by a party member. My guess is that every party member was encouraged to do the same.

Before you get the idea that I am against Elizabeth May, stop. I admire her in many ways. She has a lot to say. I think she will add something to the debates.

What I don’t like is the way the process worked. If you think I am being tough on the Green Party, I don’t like the idea that a party that doesn’t field candidates outside of Quebec has a place at the podium. Giving the Bloc Quebecois a voice, when it really has no care about the rest of Canada unless it is in Quebec’s interest, does not please me at all. I think it is time to set some rules for how the speakers at the televised debates are selected.