Greens 'will not hesitate' to use courts to get into leaders' debate by Jordana Huber
Source : Montreal Gazette
September 3, 2008
TORONTO - The Green party said it is prepared to use the courts to force television networks to include leader Elizabeth May in the leaders' debates for the upcoming federal election.
Despite meeting criteria considered sufficient in the past to provide other leaders with a debate podium, Green campaign chair and former leader Jim Harris said the Greens have not received assurances May will be included.
Harris said the party hopes the TV networks organizing the debates can be persuaded to allow May to participate. But if that fails, the party has hired lawyer Peter Rosenthal to take its concerns to the CRTC and if necessary the courts.
"There is no democratic debate without the Green party's voice," said Harris. "Electors have a right to know where the Green party stands on issues."
The Conservative party has expressed concerns about May's inclusion in the debates.
Robert Hurst, chairman of the media consortium organizing the debates and president of CTV News, said no decision has been made about who will be participating.
Network representatives met for several hours on Tuesday and are scheduled to speak again this week. Final plans will be announced within days of the writ being dropped, Hurst said.
He said the networks - including CBC/Radio-Canada, CTV, Global Television and TVA - are struggling against a whole bunch of disparate groups to find the right accommodation.
"We are trying to analyze what is best for the public process in Canada." Hurst said. "There are not only the Greens, there are other parties waiting in the wings to try to get into a leaders' debate.
"The Greens have done a great job in organizing a national party. It would be sure helpful if they had elected some members of the House of Commons," Hurst added.
Harris said the party received more than 664,000 votes in the last election and according to a Harris-Decima poll, 77 per cent of Canadians support May's participation in the debates.
He argued May should be afforded the same opportunity as Preston Manning who was included in the leaders' debates in 1993 when the party only had one MP sitting in the House of Commons.
The Greens have their first sitting MP, former Independent Blair Wilson who joined the party last week, Harris noted.
Rosenthal said if May is not included, the party could seek a judicial review of the CRTC and its "failure to ensure equity during political broadcasting."
"If a party is left out of the leaders debate there is no way the other coverage can make up for it," Rosenthal said. "The leaders' debate is the one thing people really watch. All the other programs are ignored to a large extent."
© Montreal Gazette
Despite meeting criteria considered sufficient in the past to provide other leaders with a debate podium, Green campaign chair and former leader Jim Harris said the Greens have not received assurances May will be included.
Harris said the party hopes the TV networks organizing the debates can be persuaded to allow May to participate. But if that fails, the party has hired lawyer Peter Rosenthal to take its concerns to the CRTC and if necessary the courts.
"There is no democratic debate without the Green party's voice," said Harris. "Electors have a right to know where the Green party stands on issues."
The Conservative party has expressed concerns about May's inclusion in the debates.
Robert Hurst, chairman of the media consortium organizing the debates and president of CTV News, said no decision has been made about who will be participating.
Network representatives met for several hours on Tuesday and are scheduled to speak again this week. Final plans will be announced within days of the writ being dropped, Hurst said.
He said the networks - including CBC/Radio-Canada, CTV, Global Television and TVA - are struggling against a whole bunch of disparate groups to find the right accommodation.
"We are trying to analyze what is best for the public process in Canada." Hurst said. "There are not only the Greens, there are other parties waiting in the wings to try to get into a leaders' debate.
"The Greens have done a great job in organizing a national party. It would be sure helpful if they had elected some members of the House of Commons," Hurst added.
Harris said the party received more than 664,000 votes in the last election and according to a Harris-Decima poll, 77 per cent of Canadians support May's participation in the debates.
He argued May should be afforded the same opportunity as Preston Manning who was included in the leaders' debates in 1993 when the party only had one MP sitting in the House of Commons.
The Greens have their first sitting MP, former Independent Blair Wilson who joined the party last week, Harris noted.
Rosenthal said if May is not included, the party could seek a judicial review of the CRTC and its "failure to ensure equity during political broadcasting."
"If a party is left out of the leaders debate there is no way the other coverage can make up for it," Rosenthal said. "The leaders' debate is the one thing people really watch. All the other programs are ignored to a large extent."
© Montreal Gazette
