Green Party to pursue legal options if necessary to ensure democratic debates

TORONTO – The Green Party of Canada will go to court if necessary to gain access to the leaders’ debates in the upcoming federal election, announced the party today. Former party leader Jim Harris and Toronto lawyer Peter Rosenthal held a press conference in front of the Toronto court house today to explain the steps the Green Party is taking to ensure it is invited to the leaders' debates. Rosenthal won the Figueroa case on election law at the Supreme Court of Canada.

“There is no democratic debate without the Green Party’s voice," said Jim Harris, Campaign Chair and former leader. “The airwaves belong to Canadians and Canadians want to hear the Green Party in the leaders’ debates.”

The televised leaders' debates have become the critical event of federal elections in Canada. As the only point during the campaign that voters can see and hear the leaders interact, the debates play a critical role in informing Canadians. Currently, the broadcast consortium is comprised of five television networks which exercise carte blanche control over debate participation yet lack clear criteria for inclusion. Other than being required by the Canadian Radio and Television Commission (CRTC) to provide “equitable coverage” to parties, there no hard and fast rules on participation.

“We will be approaching the media outlets and the CRTC to insist the networks provide equitable coverage of political parties during elections,” said Mr. Rosenthal.

The Green Party of Canada is the only party receiving vote-based funding under federal law that was barred from the leaders’ debates in both the 2004 and 2006 elections. The Green Party of Canada was founded in 1983 and ran candidates in all 308 ridings in the 2004 and 2006 elections. In 2006, the Green Party received more than 664,000 votes.

“The courts will be used only if the Green Party's strong arguments and public support are rebuffed by the media cartel. However, we will not hesitate to go to the courts to defend democracy in Canada,” said Mr. Harris.

The Green Party has pointed out to broadcasters that recent polls show 1.9 million Canadians say they will vote Green in the next election and 4 million are considering supporting the Green Party. Both a Harris-Decima poll and Green Party's own research have found that 77 percent of Canadians want to see Elizabeth May in the televised debates.

Mr. Harris pointed out that the Green Party has met criteria that have proved sufficient for including other parties in the past. One hurdle - having a sitting Member of Parliament - was achieved last Saturday when Blair Wilson, MP for West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-See to Sky Country, joined the Green Party.

“Democracy cannot be defined by a handful of executives meeting behind closed doors,” said Mr. Harris.