Removal from federal leaders’ debates ‘undemocratic’: Green Party co-leader

The Green Party of Canada’s co-leader says the Leaders’ Debate Commission decision to remove the party from participating in the two federal leaders’ debates this week is “unjust” and “undemocratic.”

Earlier on Wednesday, the commission said because the party intentionally reduced its number of candidates running in the federal election, it “no longer meets the intention of the participation criteria.”

The decision comes ahead of the two-hour French language debate, which is scheduled to take place in Montreal at 6 p.m. ET—one day before the English debate.

“The last-minute decision to exclusion the Green Party of Canada from the leaders’ debates is not only unjust and baseless, because we met the criteria, it is undemocratic,” co-leader Jonathan Pedneault said at a news conference.

“As someone who spent his life standing up for those who the world is trying to silence … today the Leaders’ Debate Commission is trying to do exactly that — to silence us.”

Pedneault said his party received a letter from the commission around 7:20 a.m. ET.

“It comes more than seven days after the final list of candidates was received and announced by Elections Canada,” he said.

While Pedneault did not say if his party is launching any legal challenge, he said he expects to be on the stage.

“I fully expect to be at the debate tonight. I fully expect the debate commission to reverse their undemocratic decision because we’re not here to be polite spectators where others argue how to manage the situation. We’re here to bring back hope in the hearts of Canadians. We’re here to build, to grow, to give Canadians a reason to look to the future with hope in their hearts and light in their eyes.”

In order to participate in the debates, parties must meet two of three conditions.

They must have had one seat in the House of Commons, have at least four per cent national support 28 days before the election, or have endorsed candidates in at least 90 per cent of ridings 28 days before the election.

By the deadline set by the debate commission, the Green Party was polling at less than three per cent, and while it included a full list of candidate endorsements by the deadline, the party only has 232 candidates running.

“The Commission was guided by these principles in setting the participation criteria for the 45th general election, including criterion (iii): ’28 days before the date of the general election, the party has endorsed candidates in at least 90% of federal ridings,'” the Leaders’ Debate Commission states.

“Whether or not the Green Party of Canada intended to run 343 candidates, it has since made the strategic decision to reduce the number of candidates running, meaning that voters no longer have the opportunity to vote for those candidates. Deliberately reducing the number of candidates running for strategic reasons is inconsistent with the Commission’s interpretation of party viability, which criterion (iii) was designed to measure.”

Click here to read the entire ruling.

The Leaders’ Debates Commission, an independent public organization, was created in 2018 and mandated to organize two debates during each general election.

The debates would have been the first in the past three federal elections in which Elizabeth May would not have represented the Green Party on the debate stage. In March, the party announced that Pedneault would act as the party’s spokesperson.

Radio-Canada’s Patrice Roy will moderate the French-language debate. It was originally scheduled for 8 p.m. ET, but the commission adjusted the time due to a crucial Montreal Canadiens game in the team’s chase for a playoff spot.

Due to the change in the time, the French language debate will begin airing on CityNews 24/7 at 7 p.m. after CityNews at 6.

The two-hour English language debate will be held on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET, moderated by TVO’s Steve Paikin. It will also be held in Montreal. Watch the entire debate on CityNews 24/7.

Omni Television will have debate translations in Mandarin, Cantonese, Punjabi, Tagalog, Arabic and Italian languages. Click here to watch on YouTube.

Liberal Leader Mark Carney, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet, and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh will participate in the debates.

With files from Nick Westoll, CityNews