Competition is a natural part of sport, commerce and politics. The inspiration to succeed may come from a variety of places, but when you are rooting from the sidelines, sometimes it’s the underdogs who inspire us to believe we have a fighting chance.
However, to have a fair chance, you need to be invited to the party, to be on the playing field with your opponents. Under our Canadian democratic system, you would think that we would invite every Candidate to the party. Sadly, this is not the case.
In July, Macleans magazine hosted a debate that included representation from the Conservatives, Liberals, NDP and the Green Party. This debate was one of the most watched, tweeted and talked about on Facebook in the history of all Canadian debates. The next debate is scheduled Sept. 17 and will be co-hosted by The Globe and Mail and Google Canada. Sadly, the Green Party is not invited to this party.
I wrote to The Globe and Mail and asked why the debate wasn’t more inclusive. They replied by saying that their aim is to create a “truly focused discussion about the state of the economy.”
This exclusion of the Green Party shows weakness by the decision-makers. Not only are they making a big mistake that will likely backfire on social media, it’s also fundamentally wrong. It’s wrong because it erodes democracy by allowing the private sector to play bodyguard on a political event that should be inclusive. It’s also wrong because at a time when we have record-breaking low voter turnout, we send another strong message to Canadians that our democratic system is flawed – resulting in a contagion of people asking, “What’s the point in voting?”
Not allowing Elizabeth May the right to participate in this debate sends the message to Canadians that if you stand out or stand up for something outside traditional norms, you will be excluded.
Underdog or not, I think Elizabeth May and her party have a well rounded platform that is not just about the environment. To get this message out, May needs to be in all debates in order to share her voice on the economy, foreign policy, infrastructure, social services, the military and veterans, First Nations – and also the environment. May needs to be shoulder-to-shoulder with her opponents in an open and fair debate.
Michelle Neilson
Squamish
