Jim Harris, leader of the Green Party

Toronto Leader, Ontario, Snubbed in Debates


There are four men in this campaign who hold at least a theoretical chance of leading a majority goverment and becoming Prime Minister on January 23rd.

There were four men at the Leadership Debates Thursday and Friday, trying to convince Canadians to make them the PM.

Unfortunately, the latter four men are not identical to the former four.

While Gilles Duceppe is only running enough candidates to at best become Leader of the Opposition (and not a soul outside of la Belle Province could support him even if they wanted), Toronto-denizen Jim Harris, leader of the Green Party is running candidates in all 308 ridings, as he did last year. At the last election they recieved over 4% of the vote, and all signs point to the Greens improving on those results January 23rd.

All they need is a platform from which to present their views - and the Leaders Debate is just that. It is ridiculous that the Greens are denied access to such a podium when the BQ are at both the French and the English debates. It is not too late to change it though; write to the media consortium in charge of the debates (question@electiondebate.ca) and let them know that all relevant voices deserve a fair shake.

The Green Party isn't the only group being snubbed by the Leaders Debates. There will be four debates this campaign (two have already happened, and two will be in January), and yet Toronto and Ontario are notably excluded. That the largest Province in confederation (and the largest city, with the most voters in it) doesn't warrant a debate in its territory is frankly, pathetic. I cannot imagine Quebec being snubbed this way, not a chance.


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