Green Party in Canadian National Debate

From The Hoss's Mouth

Hoss Cents Free Financial Money Magazine salutes the Canadian electorate. Initially, federal Green Party leader, Elizabeth May, was to be excluded from the federal leaders' nationally televised debates Oct 1, and Oct 2, 2008. The Canadian public inundated the other political parties and the media with phone calls and e-mails to express their outrage. Canadian's were not going to stand for this discrimination.

Gilles Duceppe of the Bloc Quebecois, who to his credit never did threaten to boycott the debate even though his party opposed the inclusion of the Green Party leader, maintained he always encouraged the participation of Ms. May.

Stephane Dion of the Liberal Party was first to reverse his position and welcome Ms. May to the debate. He was quickly followed by Conservative leader Stephen Harper, and NDP leader Jack Layton.

Stephen Harper originally opposed Ms. May's participation because of her often-stated preference for Liberal leader Stephane Dion.

Jack Layton's own party members were upset at his threatened boycott. After all, they like to be referred to as the party of the "working class". He finally recanted, saying the issue was becoming a distraction.

Why Stephen Harper originally opposed her participation is beyond me. Let's face facts here, the most likely parties to suffer vote drainage at the hands of the Green Party are the Liberals and NDP. They both have a stronger environmental platform than the Conservatives. Stephen Harper should have encouraged her inclusion in the debate from the outset, and not only because it is the right thing to do; but because doing so is likely to have the effect of increasing his chances of obtaining a majority government.

In any event, The Hoss is thrilled the will of the people won out and the Green Party leader will take part in the upcoming debates.

By the way, what were the Canadian networks thinking, scheduling a debate the same night as an American Presidential election debate? That's like running the Kentucky Derby and Queen's Plate on the same day. It's just not done.

Stay on track,

The Hoss

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