The candidate representing the Green Party in Pitt Meadows-Maple Ridge-Mission is asking his running mates to urge their leaders to boycott the televised debates.
On Friday, Peter Tam sent letters to the NDP, Liberal and Conservative candidates, suggesting they take a stance on the Broadcast Consortium’s decision to exclude Green Party Leader Elizabeth May from the English and French debates, April 12 and April 14.
The leaders of all three parties have said they have no problem with May’s inclusion.
“Everyone has said they support Elizabeth May’s participation in the debates,” added Tam.
“I’ve challenged them to take it a step further by urging their leaders to boycott them. It tells the consortium that they believe in democracy and won’t participate unless it is fair. A lot of times politicians just say things. Let’s see if they have the actions to back it up.”
Almost 940,000 Canadians voted for the Green Party in the last federal election, but the Broadcast Consortium, made up of Canada’s five major TV networks, believes that only parties with seats in the House of Commons should participate in the debates.
The group allowed May into the 2008 debates after a public outcry and official support from the Liberal Party.
But back then, the Green Party had MP Blair Wilson in the House of Commons. The West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast MP joined the Greens after resigning from the Liberal caucus amidst allegations of campaign-finance irregularities.
Although all Tam’s rivals don’t object to May participating in the debates, they won’t be telling their leaders to forgo two much-coveted TV appearances.
“Those decisions are ultimately made by the network consortium,” said Conservative incumbent Randy Kamp.
“The Green Party has no elected members of parliament at this point. Although she is the national leader, right now she is spending almost all her time in her riding, which is Saanich-Gulf Islands, so she doesn’t have a national presence.”
Brian Rice, who is working with Liberal candidate Mandeep Bhuller, calls the request for a boycott “ridiculous.”
“Our leader is not going to pass up an opportunity to speak to Canadians,” said Rice. “It’s not like Stephen Harper is going to boycott them. We are not going to leave the pulpit empty with no Liberal voice.”
Although they signed each other’s nomination papers in a gesture of co-operation and good will, NDP candidate Craig Speirs won’t be heeding Tam’s request.
“Personally, I think every voice should be at the table,” said Speirs, “especially voices that speak so eloquently about the environment.”
The Green Party has started a petition demanding democratic debates. As of Tuesday, it had collected 117, 801 signatures.
• Sign the petition at demanddemocraticdebates.ca.