The ruling group of media outlets will not allow Green Party of Canada leader Elizabeth May to join the 2008 televised Leaders Debate because of opposition from Stephen Harper and Jack Layton. Both Harper and Layton have apparently threatened not to participate in the debate if May was allowed to debate. The Conservative and NDP leaders appear to have an issue with May’s support of Stéphane Dion‘s positions on environmental issues.
The idea that two political leaders would cut out a debate because one political leader agrees with another highlights a major flaw in the mentality of Canada’s partisan political system. As admitting that someone else may have a better idea than you is a reality that millions of real Canadians have to come to grips with on a daily basis, perhaps our political leadership should not act so infallible.
Also, at what point in time did Canadians grant private media outlets (with the exception of the CBC, being public) control over deciding which political leaders voters would have access to in a nationally televised debate?
UPDATE: Jason Morris at Gauntlet.ca is blogging in green to protest the media consortium’s decision.
