Battleground voters agree May should be in debates

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Battleground voters agree May should be in debates

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Canada AM: Elizabeth May reacts to her inclusion

Elizabeth May is welcoming the chance to introduce Canadians to Green Party platforms during the televised leadership debate. 'I want to focus more on issues, and less on personalities,' May told Canada AM.

Canada AM: Francoise Gagnon, equalvoice.ca, on women in politics

According to Equal Voice, women nominations are on the rise this election, but female candidates are still far outnumberd by men in Canada.

Canada AM: Rosemary Thompson on the growing support for the NDP

A new poll shows that support for the NDP in on the rise as NDP Leader Jack Layton agrees to debate Elizabeth May.

Watch: See all Videos in the Player

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CTV.ca News Staff

Date: Thu. Sep. 11 2008 11:28 AM ET

Most respondents in key election battlegrounds support Green Party Leader Elizabeth May's inclusion in a televised leaders' debate for the upcoming federal election, according to a new poll conducted for CTV and The Globe and Mail.

The results of the Strategic Counsel poll were released early Thursday morning, one day after Canada's broadcast networks agreed to include May in the debates after the Conservatives and New Democrats backed down from their initial opposition.

The poll sampled residents in 45 vital ridings in Quebec, Ontario and B.C.

When asked whether "Green Party Leader Elizabeth May should have been included in the upcoming leaders' debate," 74 per cent of B.C. respondents agreed. Among women, 78 per cent agreed while 71 per cent of men agreed.

Only 12 per cent of women disagreed that May should be included and 22 per cent of men disagreed.

In Ontario:

In total, seventy-three per cent of respondents agreed.
Eighty per cent of women agreed.
Sixty-nine per cent of men agreed.

In Quebec:

In total, sixty-seven per cent of respondents agreed.
Seventy-three per cent of women agreed.
Sixty-one per cent of men agreed.

In the battleground ridings in all three of the provinces, results were consistently in agreement when respondents were asked to agree or disagree with the statement: "It is wrong that the only woman leader of a national party has been excluded from the debate."

In Ontario, a total of 57 per cent of respondents said they agreed it was wrong to exclude May.

Among women, 62 per cent agreed with the statement, while 52 per cent of men agreed.

In B.C.:

In total, 53 per cent of respondents agreed.
Sixty-two per cent of women agreed.
Forty-three per cent of men agreed.

In Quebec:

In total, 56 per cent of respondents agreed.
Sixty per cent of women agreed.
Fifty-two per cent of men agreed.

In all three provinces, about 25 per cent of women strongly disagreed that it was wrong to exclude May from the debates.

Among men, 46 per cent in B.C. strongly disagreed, 31 per cent in Ontario strongly disagreed and 35 per cent in Quebec strongly disagreed.

May 'jubilant'

May told CTV's Canada AM she was "jubilant" to receive the news she would be allowed to participate, calling the decision a victory for democracy.

"I think this is really a victory for citizen outrage and the effectiveness of Canadians getting on websites, calling, writing letters to the editors. It was an astonishing and completely spontaneous movement of outrage and I'm so grateful," May said Thursday.

She welcomed the poll results that showed as many as 80 per cent of women in Ontario felt she should be included. However, she acknowledged that although those respondents wanted her included in the debate, it doesn't mean they plan to vote for her.

"But I really hope that now that I've got a chance to explain where the Green Party stands on a wide range of issues people will be more inclined to actually give us their support at the ballot box," she said.

May vowed to raise issues such as Kyoto, Afghanistan and foreign policy, saying previous debates in 2006 ignored the important issues and as a result were "dreary and horrible" to watch.

"I'm hoping what I'll do by participating is do a service to the 80 per cent or whatever of Canadians who thought I should be there. No matter how they're going to vote I really want to improve the quality of the debates and focus more on issues and less on personalities."

Change of mind

Conservative Leader Stephen Harper and NDP Leader Jack Layton both reversed their opposition to the inclusion of May on Wednesday.

Layton was the first to back away from his previous position, saying he didn't want to keep "debating about the debate."

"As long as Stephen Harper takes part, I don't care who else is on the stage," he said Wednesday afternoon on his campaign bus.

Less than an hour later, Conservative representatives informed reporters that the Tories would not stand alone against May's inclusion.

At a campaign stop in Quebec on Thursday, Harper denied that his party has flip-flopped on the issue.

He said that May's inclusion at the debate remains "unfair" because she and Liberal Leader Stephane Dion have a deal not to run a candidate against the other in their home ridings.

"This is unfair in our judgment, but we will go along provided other elements of the debate are fair," he said.

The five networks in the consortium -- CTV, CBC, Radio-Canada, Global and TVA -- said May was excluded because some leaders threatened to boycott the debate if she was allowed to participate.

Battleground 2008 ridings

Following is a list of the Battleground 2008 Ridings included in Strategic Counsel polling throughout the election campaign:

British Columbia

Vancouver Quadra, Vancouver Island North, West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country, Fleetwood-Port Kells, Newton-North Delta, Burnaby-Douglas, Esquimalt-Juan de Fuca, Richmond, Pitt Meadows-Maple Ridge-Mission, North Vancouver.

Ontario

Parry Sound-Muskoka, Glengarry-Prescott-Russell, St. Catharines, Hamilton East-Stoney Creek, Brant, Thunder Bay-Superior North, Oakville, Thunder Bay-Rainy River, Huron-Bruce, London-Fanshaw, Ottawa-Orléans, Simcoe North, London West, Barrie, Kitchener-Conestoga, Halton, Peterborough, Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing, Burlington, Mississauga South.

Quebec

Louis-Hébert, Ahuntsic, Beauport-Limoilou, Brossard-La Prairie, Papineau, Charlesbourg--Haut-Saint-Charles, Hull-Aylmer, Honoré-Mercier, Saint-Hyacinthe-Bagot, Pontiac, Jeanne-Le Ber, Laval-Les Îles, Gatineau, Chicoutimi-Le Fjord, Brome-Missisquoi.

Technical notes:

The poll was conducted from Sept. 9-10 by The Strategic Counsel for CTV and The Globe and Mail.
The B.C. ridings had a sample size of 260 (margin of error 6.1 per cent). The Ontario ridings had a sample size of 280 (margin of error 5.9 per cent) and Quebec battleground ridings had a sample size of 270 (margin of error 6 per cent).
Results are based on random samples of adults 18 years of age or older in each of the 45 battleground ridings. Results were weighted by age to be proportionate to the provincial population sampled.

Comments are now closed for this story

Elilz
said

A sad day for Canada indeed.

To pull out the female card was nothing but disgrace to Canadian women. It was not a matter of her gender, but a matter of her real political party. I for one certainly do not thank Elizabeth May for insulting my intelligence, or for making women look completely pathetic. Only in Canada would we bring such humiliation to the world show.

I hope the rest of the parties, with women leaders come forth. I think they should be there too.

Mel from Grey County
said

How can we call the Green Party a Fringe party. They have candidates in all but two ridings. They are a true national party unlike the Bloc who's only interest is the seperation of Quebec from the rest of the country. Why should the Bloc be allowed into the debates when they don't have the interests of the whole country in mind?

LM
said

LOL, Elizabeth May is going to be at the Leaders Debate! That is a joke. Then why the other parties that don't have a seat in the house are exclued from the Debate. She never won a seat in the house. Why would she have any rights to be there when she is endorsing Dion. That should be elegal. I'm so angry because I feel this is very unfair & also descriminatory. Who give Elizabeth May the power to manipulate the law.

Derek
said

I'm very much in favor of Elizabeth's inclusion in the debates.

Let's hear what she has to say....and then voters can decide for themselves which party has the best policies.

T in Ottawa
said

Honestly, I'm just tired of hearing the word debate. Enough already! Let them all go at it and self-destruct.

How many people actually watch the debates? And of those that watch, how many are influenced by the performances?

This is too much of a distraction from the real issues.

NWT in Sarnia
said

If Gilles Ducieppe was allowed to debate then Elizabeth May should be allowed , too . At least she represents federalism ...

iphone u yaa
said

May should not be allowed to the debates. Calling it an old boy's club is purely sexist and is an insult to all Canadians. Canadian's aren't as stupid as she makes us out to be.
A solution to climate change will only happen when the world's biggest polluters agree on it. Canada has to follow their lead or be left behind economically.
If she wants to win seats, she needs to concentrate her party in a regional area like the Bloc or Reform of old. A fringe/protest party with one issue on the platform will never win any seats and will not be in the next election's debate.
The best May can hope for is to be dumping ground of disaffected MP's like the one she has now. Are you listening Garth Turner?

Erik
said

with the sole exception of the environment, this party is clone of the NDP. Let's face it, they are nothing more than a fringe party with more media attention. Watch this woman repeat most of Dion and Laytons ideas in the debate but with diffent wording. When it comes down to it, they are another party crowding the left. Seriously, elect an MP, then ask to participate! They have won no seats in their history! Why am I even aware of their exsistance?!

Kevin - Ex-GPC Candidate
said

You guys are too much. The Green Party was the only party that had someone running in all 308 ridings in the 2004 election. The Bloc can never say this, but they're in the national debates. I can't even vote for the Bloc, so why are they even included? The Green Party has a platform on all facets of running a government, their slant happens to be look after the environment first, then the rest of running a government, if not environment, then no people, and then not point in even worrying about who you vote for in the future. The Liberals and PC/Reform/Alliance now Conservatives, have had 141 years to get their act together, time to vote them out of office. How stupid are us Canadians to keep voting in the same ridiculous parties when all they do is become corrupted? I could go on, but I think you get the point.

dave
said

I think a lot of the responders here do not understand how our government works. The Green party has one elected MP, Blair Wilson MP for West Vancouver. The Green party got enough votes in the last election to qualify for official party status. It does not matter if the leader of the party has a seat in the House of Commons or not. Elizabeth May was elected as the party leader by the Green party and is therefore the national voice of that Party. That entitles them to be eligible for the debate, and not the Rhino party, Marijuana party or even the Sex party.

Lets not forget that after the last Conservative Majority government in this country they only won 2 seats in the House of Commons, but where still allowed to participate in the next elections debates.

Mr. Harper is doing his best to spin every little think in this election. I agree with Newfoundland’s premier in saying that Harper cannot be trusted with a majority government. He has a hidden agenda and we will not find out about it until it is too late.
I think everyone should vote exactly the same as the last election and keep our minority government going, it’s our only hope.

Elizabeth Eakin Vancouver/Quadra
said

Preston Manning debated when he was head of the Reform party and they had no seats. May's party has over 300 candidates on her slate and is funded because they garnered 17% of the vote. This is not a "fringe" party by any means. This is about democracy! Do we really want a 2 party system like the U.S. where the president can veto the individual states.

As for Kyoto, 850 U.S. mayors have signed on to Kyoto. Change is happening at a grass roots level - change never happens with governments. THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN.

Everyone is going to watch the DEBATE - a lot more interesting now - May is a pretty impressive debater. Harper better get versed on climate change.

Diogenes
said

Wow. It sure didn't take long for the Tory bum boys and paid blog trolls and letter writers to get on this blog and vent their spleen. Have another drink.

Paul out West
said

I love Elizabeth May's enthusiasm and good cheer. She is such a delight in stark contrast to the conservative guys. I'm very interested to hear her point of view in the leaders' debate.

Aaron in Toronto
said

Ms May should not be allow to be in this debate whatsoever. There are rules and people should respect it. Some people argue that the Con and Reform were allow in the debate before but they at least have an elected member in the House of Common. Pulling the gender card is a cheap shot. If people are that serious about getting her to the debate then rally yourself and elect them into the House of Common and then next time she can get involve. Otherwise it will becomes a circuit. Nuff said!

Michael
said

A country deserves who they get for politicians. You can decide what that means.

abes
said

Great, the debates become more of a circus. The 2006 debate was a farce, and it's going to get worse now. I sure hope the networks get the moderation right this time.
Personally I'd like to see a return to the good ol' days of the Blue red and green debates. You know when they were actually productive?

Z in Montreal
said

Again, to all those criticizing May's inclusion in the debate, GET INFORMED before suggesting that all other parties be included in the debate! The Green Party has a seat in Parliament and was voted by close to 700,000 Canadians in the last Federal election. No other party has come even close to achieving this. In fact, all other parties COMBINED got a fourth of the votes the Green Party got! Five parties are currently getting your money because of the amount of votes they've gathered: Conservative Party, Liberal Party, NDP, Bloc AND the Green Party. No other party is getting federal funds to support their campaign.
Honestly, it is sickening to see how the posters in this website are so willing to shut down a candidate that has demonstrated a legitimate intention of bringing something new to the debates. It really explains why we are in the place we currently are at. Stop accepting Conservative propaganda as facts and do your own research. You will realize how uneducated you appear when you make antidemocratic remarks online.

Dave-TO
said

Good for her and the 15 minutes of fame she will have. After this election the Green party will have a total of 0 seats in the house. She doesn't want to have a seat otherwise she would of went to a winnable riding not Peter Mckay's riding

Laz
said

Well, I agree with Pete. Bring in the Rhino's, the Marijuana party, the communist party, and every fringe party to boot; they don't have any seats won in an election either but they should get equal 15 minutes of fame. Way to go May for crying onto the stage.

I guess the debate will be 1 Red, 1 Blue, 1 Orange and 1 Green. Just like kindergarten. But it will still be a 3 versus 1 match. I won't be watching it then.

RS
said

I don't really care that she is involved but 5 people in one debate is just too many. It would have to last 4 hrs just for us to learn anything from any of the leaders

Jamie, Ottawa
said

James said, "Are there no other issues in this election?"

There really are not. I think that's why so many people wonder why we're even having an election right now.

KJ
said

I would agree: ONLY IN CANADA: The right way and the Elizabeth May way. Whine your way onto the national stage. It's a sad day for fairness and I see no reason to exclude the leader of Newfoundland and Labrador. He has the strongest campaign -- all be it a ONE ISSUE campaign too... oh right -- he's NOT running any candidates... But why should that even matter now!

Shawn
said

Yet another joke in our our system.

If Harper and Layton are smart with this, they should keep the conversation away from the environment thus keeping her out of the debate.

But whatever, include her or not, I would never vote Green. Just the fact that she is running against McKay shows that she lacks the common sense needed to run this country or she is using this as an excuse to why she would never be elected.

Calgarian
said

Wow, must be a Conservative running what gets published on this board so much for stimulating debate and giving one side the voice…

Remember the Reform Party in 1993? One member elected in bye election with a 47% voter turnout after the Conservative elected member passed away. Hadn't even gained official party status. Leader of party not elected. Party status was fringe/Protest party with ties to Heritage Front (Look that one up)… allowed to join the Debate.

Now if we want to talk Political groups in cahoots, supporting one another and calling it a dictatorship… hmm, Progressive Conservatives/Reform party run by Harper I guess makes the perfect Dictator.

Nick J Boragina
said

I dont mean to sound rude, but with all the rude comments, I feel I have to respond. Frankly, anyone who cannot see the difference between a party that is polling at 10% and a party that's polling below 1% should go back to elementary school and take a math course. The argument that because the Greens are in that we must include the Rhino party is ridiculous.

Sask Man
said

Soon we will need to watch the debates on an Imax screen as there will be so many party leaders on stage.

If the Greens fail to elect members this time, then they shouldn't be on the stage next election for sure.

Jamie, Ottawa
said

Am I missing out on some Conservative mailing list with the current talking points? Why are so many people mentioning "Rhinos and Marijuana Party" in their comments?

So is it talking points or "monkey-see-monkey-do" going on? How can they compare a party polling as high as the Greens do with parties that don't even register on any poll?

GM
said

If she's in the Debate or not I don't really care, but what I do have a problem with is her trying to make it about the fact that she's a woman.

Davey boy
said

I sense gong show! so much for a civilized debate. It makes me sick that if people don't get what they want they cry racism or they play the anti-feminist card. May your ethics are already pathetic and don't deserve to be in the debate you haven't earned your stripes.

May has already shot herself in the foot
said

"[Elizabeth] May represents her followers but she is not operating in the best interests of all Canadians."

I couldn't agree more.
She will have her 15 minutes of fame along with Dion and then she can shut her yapper. Canadians are already tired of listening to her.

Watching the news yesterday of the Greens/Liberals heckling Jack (The Obamination) Layton it was apparent the Greens appeal to the young and ill informed and older hippies who haven't fit in for the last 40 years.

Sheesh!

Vicki in Saskatoon
said

Is it true that the Conservatives have a group of people whose sole purpose is to clog up the comment boards and blog spots with pro-Harper propaganda. From what I see from looking at several media sites, this must be true. Either that or the almost 80% of people polled that supported Elizabeth May's inclusion in the television debates do not bother with commenting on sites like this. The more these "guerilla" bloggers protest the inclusion of those with ideas other than their own, one has to wonder what they are afraid of. Are they worried that if the Green Party's message of sustainability, social justice, and democracy were to be heard by more voters that they would see that Mr. Harper has taken the country down the wrong path?

what's the big deal
said

I don't understand the big deal. What harm does it do to have her at the debate?

If the Bloc get to be represented then why can't she? I'm an undecided voter so I have no real bias but, if we were going to have a real Canadian political debate the Bloc wouldn't be included because they are a party that only runs in the province of Quebec and does not represent national interests.

Bottom line, the popular vote for the Green party is now at par with the Bloc so whether or not they have a seat makes no difference.

The debate will either put the Green party to rest or it will raise the status of the party and help them get a seat in this election.

I do agree though, the Liberals and Greens should not be coming out in support of each other; it's bad politics - but no one said May or Dion would make a good leader anyway. It's a free country; people should be allowed to make an informed and educated decision when voting.

M M
said

According to the Elections Canada website, in the last federal election the Green Party received 4.5% of the popular vote - over 1/2 million votes. The Rhinos don't show as a party on E.C. site, the Marijuana Party, with fewer than 10,000 votes, got .1 percent. The debates to be televised are not parliamentary debates - they are a different form of public debate, and it would be nice if they included emerging parties who have already managed to attract a significant number of voters. People who are interested in and work with the process of democracy, know that representative government is attained in different ways. We chose to mark out geographic areas and have win/lose seats. We do not have a system which gives seats to parties who have managed to accumulate a significant following across the country. Even so, the Canadian system acknowledges that a valid democratic process does not set up barriers to emerging parties. Candidates who can demonstrate a significant following at the polls are treated equally, whether they are elected or not, and whether or not the party achieves a seat. Can you be interested in politics and yet have never watched the results come in poll by poll, uncertain whether your candidate would make it, up one minute, down the next? Due to the demographic profiles of our parties, a sitting government can ensure a loss to a party who has consistently won a seat (or vice versa) by adjusting the riding or constituency boundaries. It wasn't that long ago that the Conservative Party had only two seats in the House. The NDP has had marked ups and downs.

Colin from Nova Scotia
said

Actually, the Green party is quite in the right to request a podium at the debates. They've managed to secure enough of the popular vote to attain Official Party Status and receive federal funding. That's something the Rhinos and Marijuana Party haven't done and aren't likely to do. So, leave them on the fringe and don't confuse them with a start-up party that has achieved the first milestone of a federal party.

The Duke of Regina
said

I wish the so-called Greens showed even .0001% as much concern for our armed forces who are in harm's way as they do for forcing their way into the debates. Now that they've made the debates a laughingstock no one will watch. Maybe they can address the Taliban's threats to our fighting men and women? But of course, they won't...

pp
said

OH for heavens sakes - they should have just let her in... sheesh what is it the 'good ole boys club' up there or what?

Hope she has something concrete to say and I hope she doesn't get into a snippity snip with Dion or Layton...

I normally do not watch these debates but just might for comedy relief this time around.

Personally the environment ranks so low on my agenda that anyone who states 'vote for the environmental party' gets a thumbs down from me. How can I realistically vote for a party that will increase my output when my income is so stifled? Besides, I am not going to be on this planet 100 years from now so what do I care? :) I can only worry about myself - others need to worry about themselves on their own.

John Rizopoulos
said

Looks like all Canadians now know about the Green Party. What luck for May. The best publicity is the controversial kind with added benefits. Wow, I wish our company had free publicity like that!

Steve
said

Elizabeth May is on record as calling Canadians "stupid" for not supporting a carbon tax. It will be fun to watch her self-destruct during the debate.

Craig in Calgary
said

You've heard it here first:

1. Prime Minister Harper (who everyone agreed won the debates of 2006) will continue to remain the calm, cool voice in the debates. He will look prime ministerial while the other four shout and point fingers.

2. People will finally see Elizabeth May for who she is - an inscessant whiner who loves to interrupt and lecture but not debate. Watch her performance in her own leadership contest and how she conducts interviews.

3. The Greens will end up with no MPs.

4. The Greens will have to come up with a new strategy to explain why they should be in the 2012 debates.

Your ol' pal Jimmy.
said

I have a message for the so-called Green Party. Go ahead. Keep pushing because you push us right into the arms of the Conservatives. They know how to deal with the likes of you!

david
said

If one political group supports another in Russia or Cuba or North Korea, we call it dictatorship or communism. I think that allowing May to participate is an affront against democracy. Greens support the Liberals and vice versa, and that is an undemocratic situation. This a no-brainer.

James
said

Elizabeth May has no right to take part in these debates. I can't believe that they are bending the rules to let her in.

I am also disgusted by the media's coverage of this. Are there no other issues in this election? The number one news story I've heard is about this debate, nothing about the issues.

Peter LeGresley Kamloops, BC
said

Enough is enough. She is in the debate. I am fed-up hearing about. It was a non issue to start with and it still is as far as I'm concerned. Now let's drop it and get to the real issues like crime and health care. Personally I believe that broadcasters were right not to include the Green Party. Personally it should have only been the Conservatives and the Liberals.

Nicole
said

While I certainly don't agree that a party that doesn't have an elected member (elected under their banner) should participate, it will be interesting to watch Ms. May call Canadians stupid as she has done on live radio. This woman is a loose cannon and frankly I think this debate may help people see just how one issue this leader is. Frankly, she and Layton will be entertaining to watch as they try to upstage one another while Harper in his calm and articulate way will demonstrate how a prime minister should act.

bad optics
said

All people heard was this woman being excluded from participating in a boys' club.
The rules state you have to have an elected member in order to participate.
The Green Party says it does. That's because an elected member from another party decided to jump ship and become a Green Party member.
This has been happening a whole lot this past year.
Diehard Conservatives become Liberals and diehard Liberals become Conservatives. Basically party affilliation means little...

RCR
said

Yeah, go ahead and include her. When she splits the left vote we Conservative supporters are laughing all the way to a majority.I can't believe Dion is that shortsighted. But I could be wrong. Go Harper.

Bernadette/Ontario
said

...don't blame Mr. Harper. Blame Dion. He is the one who's endorsing Elizabeth May. Then Jack Layton got manipulated by her. Mr. Harper had no choice but go along with them otherwise he would be the bad guy.

northerner
said

Another politician that is considered as a one issue. Come on can we see her and her party governing Canada? She joins the one issue party that thinks they represent Québec and we know that is not true.
I would never vote for people like her and her party. A precedent is now set for parties that have less than one MP to be onstage speaking their party platform. Let us now see what she brings to the table. Everyone wants to get their name in the History Book. It is interesting to read that 80% of women want her to be on this debate and the question I may ask is why? Is it simply to have a woman on stage? May represents her followers but she is not operating in the best interests of all Canadians. She is the leader of the Green Party --and that speaks for itself.

Mike
said

Whether or not she is included is a moot point. The fact is that she doesn't have a seat in the house and isn't likely to win one given that she is still planning to run against Peter Mackay. So what she has to say will for the most part be, irrelevant at best.

LDL
said

So we'll have five people trying to talk over each other instead of 4. Does it really matter, it's a pointless exercise anyway. The Conservatives appear to have taken the early lead according to the polls, so they'll all be gunning for the PM. Harper should just take the high road, state his case and let the also ran's spew their venimous rants. Heck, mighty as well give Danny Williams a seat too. Really, come on, we've probably all made up our minds as to who we're voting for and those that haven't probably don't care and wouldn't watch the debate anyway.

Michael (Ottawa)
said

I am in disagreement with the participation of Elizabeth May in these debates.

It is wrong to make special allowance for Ms. May and not allow the others' participation too. That is blatantly unfair and not the Canadian way.

Mr. Dion must also shoulder some of the responsibility for this fiasco. What did Mr. Dion say to the networks behind closed doors to cause them to change their minds? Did he say he'd withdraw if Ms. May wasn't there? Is he that insecure?

Do we now have two ways of doing things in this country? The right way and the Elizabeth May way?

This is a bad precedent and should be revoked.

Wayne House in Ottawa
said

I agree that May should participate. I hope she doesn't monopolize the discussion.

Robert White
said

If the networks are going to give free air time to leaders in the form of a debate, then all party leaders should be included (yes, including the rhinos, etc.). To do otherwise in undemocratic. The so-called standard of a member in the house has been met by May (regardless of how) and was an arbitrary decision in 1993. Imagine if there was TV when the first parliament was formed and only his majesty's reps were given air time. We might have gotten our bloody revolution after all.

R D
said

What's the big deal. She's a one issue debater. If she had her way, we'd all be driving horse & buggy by 2015. I can't ever remember hearing her tackle climate problems originating in Asia. These debates will not be limited to the enviroment.There's the long term economy,health care, Canada on the world stage, a stronger, better equiped military and a dozen other national issues. I'm willing to bet that when those other issues are to be discussed, somehow Ms. May will associate those issues with the enviroment and climate change. That's her forte.

Jo in Gtown
said

I have to agree with Pete & James ... put ALL the parties in the debate. Fair is fair. Or does 'fair' only apply to squeaky wheels?

No wonder a majority government is virtually impossible with all the 'non-parties' to choose from ... what a waste of a vote.

Why Elizabeth May should NOT be in the debates
said

1) May's Green party do not have one member elected to the House of Parliament.

2) The Green party do not have official party status in the House of Commons

3) The Green party is NO different than other parties and should not have been given this special status. That is discrimination against the other parties who should also have a voice on the national stage.

I vehemently object to this woman's pushy tactics and last minute manipulation to lure the former Liberal MP to her ranks to try and prop up her chances.

Dion is wrong to have made allegiances with May and the two deserve each other for doing so.

In all likelihood Elizabeth May will not win a seat in this election. How will that look after making this undemocratic exception for her to join the debates?

In Canada, we live by the law and rules of procedure. Elizabeth May has demonstrated she doesn't want to live by these traditions which are in place for good reason.

vince a
said

If whining gets you what you want then this must be CANADA. If the Green Party is allowed in then I hope all the other parties threaten to sue and get in as well. Then we can look rediculous to the rest of the country and get nothing accomplished with this debate ...again.

Grant
said

So now a fringe party, with no elected memebers and with a leader that has publicly endorsed another will be in the debate.
Only in Canada you say.
Pity

And to think I tell my kids to stop whining it will do no good. What a lack of leadership from Harper.

Michelle
said

The people wanted to hear her voice so they spoke up, and got what they wanted. My goodness, we do live in a democracy after all.

James in Canada
said

It doesn't matter what a poll says. Greens have no elected members in parliament. The same as the marijuana party and the rhinoceros party.

So if she is there they should be also.

Thats how absurd this has become. Be a legitimate party that can elect MPs and then you can be a part of the debate. Until then live with the obscurity.

proud conservative
said

I think it is the way the question was worded. I don't know of anybody that thinks she should be in the debate. But I am glad she is bringing up kyoto. Way to flail a dead horse lizzie.Look at the polls: economy and health care. That is what is most important to people.I feel sorry for Harper because it is going to be a feeding frenzy. He will probably get a lot of sympathy votes just for the way the others act.

Pete Fisher
said

Sure, let's be fair, after all, this is Canada. But let's bring in the Rhinos and Marijuana Party as well and make it a true farce.