Leaders’ Debate Organizers Rescind Green Party’s Invitation to Participate

Green Party Co-Leaders Jonathan Pedneault and Elizabeth May pose for a photo in Ottawa on Nov. 19, 2022. The Canadian Press/ Patrick Doyle

On the day of the French-language leaders’ debate, the organizers have announced the Green Party will not be allowed to participate.

The Leaders’ Debates Commission said in a decision issued on April 16 that the Greens have not fulfilled the debate criteria of running candidates in 90 percent of ridings. The decision also noted the party had made a strategic decision to not run in some ridings.

Parties had to fulfil two of three following criteria to attend the debate: running a certain number of candidates, having representation in the House of Commons, and receiving at least 4 percent of voting intentions. The Greens had been invited based on meeting the first two criteria.

“In circumstances in which the Green Party of Canada has intentionally reduced the number of candidates running in the election for strategic reasons, it no longer meets the intention of the participation criteria to justify inclusion in the leaders’ debates,” reads the decision.

The commission initially received a list of 343 candidates endorsed by the Green Party, but said it later became aware only 232 candidates were confirmed by Elections Canada.

Comments made by Green Co-Leader Jonathan Pedneault to Radio-Canada this week about making a “strategic decision” to reduce the number of candidates were also noted by the commission in its rationale for disinviting the Greens.

“We decided to not run candidates in some ridings, notably where Conservatives have more chances to win than us,” Pedneault reportedly said.

The Epoch Times reached out to the Green Party for comment but didn’t immediately hear back.

The commission said it sought submissions from the party to clarify whether it had indeed endorsed all the candidates on the list provided to the commission. It also asked when Pedneault had made the strategic decision and whether or not it was prior to filing the party’s candidates list on March 31.

The party responded that when it provided its list it had indeed endorsed 340 candidates who all intended to run at the time. “In fact, the last list we sent to Elections Canada on Sunday the 6th of April at 5pm contained 342 names. Mr. Pedneault’s comments refer to developments that occurred later in time,” the party is quoted as saying in the commission’s decision.

The debates will now include Liberal Leader Mark Carney, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet, and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh.

The People’s Party of Canada had met the condition of running enough candidates but it is not represented in the House of Commons nor was it polling high enough to be allowed to participate.

The French-language debate on April 16 will start two hours earlier at 6 p.m. EDT, after Blanchet and Singh requested a rescheduling due to a Montreal Canadiens hockey game taking place at the same time.

Radio-Canada and the Debates Commission announced the time slot change on April 15, saying this would allow citizens to follow a crucial moment in the election while not missing the key periods of the hockey game which starts at 7 p.m. EDT.

The Habs need to obtain at least one point via a win or an overtime loss against the Carolina Hurricanes to get their ticket for the post-season. If the Canadiens fail to obtain a point on April 16, they will be out of the playoffs if the Columbus Blue Jackets win their last game against the New York Islanders on April 17.

The English-language debate is scheduled for April 17 at 7 p.m. EDT.

Themes for the two debates will not be identical. The French-language debate will cover the cost of living, energy and climate, the trade war, identity and sovereignty, and immigration and foreign affairs. The English-language debate won’t discuss immigration but has a segment on public safety and security. Its other themes are the cost of living, energy and climate, leading in a crisis, and tariffs and threats to Canada.