Canada: Green Party Going To Court

The Green Party of Canada is expected to announce this Thursday that they will go to court over their exclusion from the leaders' debate.

The refusal by a consortium of television networks to allow the Green Party leader Elizabeth may to participate in the leaders' debate means the Green party will challenge the ruling in court. May is expected to make the announcement tomorrow. May has demanded Conservative Leader Stephen Harper and NDP Leader Jack Layton, publicly admit they threatened to boycott debates next month if she were to be included. As well, the Greens are filing a formal complaint with Canada's broadcast regulator, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission. Liberal leader Dion has restated his support for May's participation and accused the two party leaders of "hiding themselves behind the consortium." "She should be there, period," Dion said during a campaign appearance in Mississauga, Ont. "Not only are they not inclusive, but they don't have the courage to explain their positions." The PM has said letting May participate in the debates would in essence allow a "second Liberal candidate" to participate, which he said was "unfair." The PM has also said he strongly believed May would endorse the Liberal party before the campaign was over. The consortium of Canada's largest English and French television networks, CBC/Radio-Canada, CTV, Global Television and TVA, traditionally,has decided which party leaders would participate in the debates.