Federal Green Party Leader Elizabeth May took her fight to be included in the televised leaders debate on April 12 to the Federal Court of Appeal in Ottawa yesterday (April 5), and lost.
Judge Marc Nadon has decided not to expedite the case before the first debate. The party will look at all options before deciding whether to pursue the case any further.
Earlier, a broadcasters consortium, which is sponsoring both the English and French debates, decided May would not be included.
Country-wide polls indicated May has a groundswell of support amongst the voting public, and former Conservative prime minister Joe Clark and former Liberal prime minister Paul Martin have joined the throng of prominent Canadians throwing their support behind May's bid to be included.
Even Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff and NDP Leader Jack Layton have said they believe May should participate in the debates.
Meanwhile, the Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo riding candidates have varying opinions on the question.
Donavan Cavers
Green candidate Donovan Cavers says he believes the decision is "ridiculous."
Noting the Green Party garnered 940,000 votes in the 2008 election, Cavers says he expects the party will attract significantly more votes this time around.
Voters have a right to hear where all the major parties stand on the issues.
"That's one of the cornerstones of democracy - an informed electorate."
As they did in 2008, Cavers says he hopes the "big media" bosses get their heads "screwed back on soon."
Michael Crawford
Noting it's not clear why the media consortium doesn't want May to be included, and while it's their show and they should be able to make the decision, NDP candidate Michael Crawford says he thinks there is an issue of fairness.
"For my money, I'd like to have Elizabeth May on the stage to hear what she has to say and to give Canadians an opportunity to think about the issues she raises, particularly in relation to how [Stephen] Harper has done on those issue in the last five years."
Cathy McLeod
Incumbent MP Cathy McLeod appears to be hedging her bets on this question, as she says there many people in her riding standing on both sides of the issue.
"I'd like to leave that to the opinions of Canadians, and whatever decision gets made, I'm happy to let those folks make those decisions."
She adds the outcry from Canadians in 2008 led to the media's decision to allow May to enter the debate.
"The consortium is making that decision and they're making it based on public opinion, certainly, because there's an argument on both sides."
Murray Todd
The Liberal candidate clearly supports May's inclusion.
"No, I don't think she should be barred when we're having conversations of the future of the country we want it to be as wide as possible," says Murray Todd.
"So certainly, we want Elizabeth May in, and we want as many Canadians as possible in it, too, by voting [and getting] engaged in this election."
Chris Kempling
The Christian Heritage Party candidate agrees May should be included in the debate, but with a twist.
"With regard to Ms. May's participation in the leader's debate, one million votes is adequate reason to include her. But, we also think our leader, Jim Hnatiuk, should also be included.
"Frankly, there is a greater rationale to include Ms. May than [Bloc Quebecois Leader Gilles] Duceppe."
