In between knitting on the bus and holding a sign in front of a host of news cameras and, oh yes, knitting while watching YouTube videos today, I procrastinated writing this blog. You see, I wanted to write about Elizabeth May being excluded from the televised debate tomorrow, how undemocratic and unfair that is. For some reason though, I couldn't figure out what I wanted to say.
Yes, the "media consortium"* is effectively censoring the flavour of the debate by barring May's visionary opinions.
Yes, she, along with the Green Party, represents nearly 1 million Canadian voters.
Yes, 81% of Canadians (according to a CBC poll) want to see her included in the debate.
I started writing this blog post that tried to describe what was going on, the rally I went to today and why Elizabeth May, the voice for democracy, deserves a place at that debate but it didn't come out right. In short, here's all I can say:
The media should not have the power to decide who is allowed to attend political debates, nor should party leaders. If they don't want to debate Elizabeth May for whatever reason, they don't have to attend. Political debates should be about the people. They should be informative and representative. Media executives, probably responding to party pressure, should not be entitled to silence the voice that represents a million Canadians.
This decision is undemocratic and unfair. Canadians want to see May in the debate. Not all of the above 81 percent are voting Green but they can agree that she has something to bring to the table. And that something is not anything that should be silenced by a group of powerful suits. Canadians want to hear Elizabeth May.
Whatever happened to democracy?
*who Elizabeth May compared to the Star Chamber.
2 comments:
What? That doesn't make any sense to me. I mean, why aren't they showing her? Not that it should matter, but what motive does the media to not show her part of the debate?
They say because she doesn't have representation in parliament presently. But they've also said that there are no regulations, guidelines or preordained rules. They just *decided*.
It's pretty much a smoke screen, though. Two other leaders, including Harper, have stated that if May was allowed at the table, they would boycott the debate.
Cowardly people are cowardly.
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