The National Election

Our Prime Minister announced yesterday that we're going to have another election. Not because our country wants one or asked for one or even needs one. But because he decided he could.

One of the many "traditional" activities of a federal election in Canada is that the media get together and host a televised "Leader's Debate". There is usually only one, and it's a chance for the public to witness the leaders going toe to toe on the important issues. Often it becomes a childish yelling match, but it really is an opportunity for leaders to make their points known and for Canadians to see how the leaders manage under pressure.

In Canada, we have three major parties: the Liberals, the Conservatives, and the New Democrats. We also have the Bloc Quebecois who is a party that serves only the province of Quebec and holds virtually no interest to the rest of the country, except in how it relates to Quebec's sovereignty. In the recent past few years the Green Party has also become a significant force across the country. They achieve a sufficient amount of votes to receive additional funding from the government. They're outspoken and often recognized by the media.

But a "consortium of media" has come together and decided that the Green Party will not be allowed to participate. The leader of the Green Party had predicted the impending election and had been lobbying the media to ensure her inclusion in the debate. But instead she's been excluded. The media consortium indicates that this decision was made under pressure of "three of four of the parties". Apparently only the Liberals were in support of the Greens participating in the debate.

What I'm curious about is what are they so afraid of? I'm not a member of the Green Party (I'm not a member of any party)but it seems to me that their ideas have been acknowledged and accepted by each of the parties at different times. But the Conservatives, the Bloc, and the N.D.s obviously believe that they will lose votes to the Greens.

Whatever their reasoning, I'm outraged at the decision. It seems to me that Canadians have a right to make up their own minds. And to do so, the information shouldn't be controlled by the media and by the other parties. I say "shame on them". I've written a couple of letters already. Tomorrow I'll make some phone calls. I wish that anyone who was even slightly uncomfortable with this decision would do the same.

Shame on Them!!!