Elizabeth May, who has been fighting to be included in the federal leaders debate, has said she will not be part of “The Other Parties Discussion,” or what is labelled by some as a fringe party leaders debate that would include the Pirate, Libertarian, CHP, Rhinoceros, and other parties. May has been crying about the assault on democracy that her non-inclusion in the main event leaders debate symbolizes, arguing that she will ask uncomfortable questions and giving voice to views not often heard in mainstream political discussion. That is probably doubly so for the leaders of the so-called fringe parties. I understand May not wanting her or her party to be thought of as fringe and indeed the million votes the GPC garners is significantly more than all the “fringe” parties combined. But considering May’s talking points about why she deserves a seat at the adult table rather than the kid’s table, where is the consistency? As Vicki Gunn, a spokesman for the CHP told the NP: “Whether they have to play in a small pond or not, surely it is better than not playing in any pond.” If May is serious about everything she has said about needing to be included in the leaders debate with Stephen Harper et al, she is doing a disservice to her cause and her party by refusing to air her views in The Other Parties Discussion.
