HALIFAX – The Green Party of Canada wants to take the responsibility for the federal leaders’ debate out of the hands of broadcasters and turn it over to “a suitable public, non-partisan agency such as Elections Canada,” said party leader Jim Harris today in Halifax.
Harris made the comment while announcing a series of items that the Green Party is launching over the coming days after “a deluge of phone calls and e-mails to party offices made it clear that Canadians of all political stripes firmly oppose the idea that five corporate executives can predetermine who Canadians should hear or not hear from during an election campaign,” said the Green press release.
The Green Party says it is making available contact information for each consortium member (CBC, TVA, CTV, Global, SRC) “in order that voters can individually express their indignation over this decision,” adds the release. It will be launching its own on-line petition. As well, the party has prepared a full backgrounder on the issue that is available at www.greenparty.ca.
"The debates should not be left in the hands of corporate executives with the tacit approval of four political parties whose motivation for self-preservation will always be the status quo,” added Harris. “Canadians would no more accept the five big banks running polling stations."
