Greens' May invited to join leaders' debate

[Clintonista2]

TORONTO -- Green Leader Elizabeth May will participate in the leaders' debate after the Conservatives and NDP dropped their opposition to her appearance in the broadcasts.

Moments after the Tories backed down Wednesday, the broadcast consortium told May she would be welcome at the English and French debates Oct. 1-2 in Ottawa.

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She said she was very grateful to the thousands of Canadians who complained on websites, phone-in radio shows, right across the country to protest the decision to exclude her from the debate.

"Without the support of the people of Canada, this simply would not have happened, and I am very grateful," May said in an interview with Canwest News Service. "There's been a constant stream of people into my office. When I stand at busy corners in the mornings, people roll down their windows and say, ‘Harper's scared of you, we're not going to let this stand.'"

But in a mischievous move, the Conservatives initially said they would try to convince the broadcast consortium that Peter MacKay, who is running against May in the Nova Scotia riding of Central Nova, should also be part of the debate. The Liberals have a deal with the Greens not to run a candidate in the riding.

more... http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=782584
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So glad she is allowed in. I was livid, especially with Layton, at her exclusion.

[HeresyLives]

1. Took em one day to back down.

They must have been deluged!

[Caradoc]

2. Democracy ROCKS!!!!!!!!!

Hey, I'm a Lib supporter and yes, we could lose some of our support to the Greens, but I doubt it and regardless I welcome Elizabeth May to the debate. A little Canadian political history for ya...when the libs are in power, NDP support goes up, but when the tories are in power, NDP support migrates into the liberal column. We'll see if that holds true this time around...some of that could go Green which I admit wouldn't help us.

But this is supposed to be democracy. Canadian democracy, while imperfect, has just got that little bit more fair. America, you could have this much choice if you wanted...you just gotta learn to yell like a Canadian when leaders try to limit your choices!!!!

Canada...I LOVE YA, EH?

[tuvor]

3. They got an earful from me.

And my incumbent NDP candidate can't afford to lose many votes, otherwise the Conservative will win. The last election she won in a squeaker.