May excluded from TV debates.

This is from ca.news Yahoo.
Layton is disappointing. He obviously does not want competition and is on the same side as Harper on this issue. However Layton does not have the courage to say anything not even to affirm or deny that he threatened to pull out of the debate. Duceppe at least denied that he would pull out.
The other four leaders don't want any green colours diluting their message apparently except for Dion. I remember one election that there was a separate debate with all the minor parties involved. They were far more interesting than the main parties in my opinion. However, you get to participate only if you have a minimal market share. I guess the Greens need to increase that a bit otherwise they won't get the free advertising provided by participating in the debates.

Green party's May excluded from TV debates; says it's unfair
By Sue Baliey


OTTAWA - Green party Leader Elizabeth May has been shut out of the televised election debates after every party but the Liberals shunned her inclusion.


TV network officials hinted that one or more of the other party leaders would otherwise pull out of the showcase election event, set for Ottawa on Oct. 1 and 2.


"The (network) consortium approached the parties to explore the possibility of including the Green party in all or part of the leaders' debates," spokesman Jason MacDonald said.


"However, three parties opposed its inclusion and it became clear that if the Green party were included, there would be no leaders' debates.


"In the interest of Canadians, the consortium has determined that it is better to broadcast the debates with the four major party leaders, rather than not at all."


The nationally televised event is run by Canada's private networks as an umbrella group that decides who takes part. The consortium includes CBC, Radio Canada, CTV, Global and TVA.


Liberal Leader Stephane Dion has said he would welcome the chance to debate May on TV.


But Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Monday that May's inclusion would in essence allow a second Liberal candidate to participate.


He said May's platform is similar to Dion's and that she will ultimately endorse the Liberals.


"Elizabeth May is not an opponent of Stephane Dion," Harper said at a campaign event in Richmond, B.C.


"She is his candidate in (the Nova Scotia riding of) Central Nova, and I think it would be fundamentally unfair to have two candidates who are essentially running on the same platform in the debate."


May threatened to go to court over Monday's decision, accusing the TV networks of "old boy" tactics as she squarely blamed Harper for her exclusion.


"I think Mr. Harper's role was determinative," she said in an interview. "He was the only one making the (public) case that I was not allowed to participate.


"In the interest of fairness ... and a full and fair election, the Green party will seek the guidance of the Federal Court in terms of ... how manipulated the public airwaves can be by the objection of a prime minister who doesn't want to face me in the debate."


In the past, the courts and federal radio-television regulator have washed their hands of the matter, saying it's up to the broadcasters to decide who can participate in an event that can change the course of election campaigns.


The Green leader has stepped up pressure on the networks ever since an Independent MP joined the party, giving the Greens a temporary toehold in the House of Commons.


"I believe the consortium has been overly influenced by hints, and threats without actually having public statements on the record from any national party political leader that they would actually refuse to participate in the debates if I was included," May said.

NDP Leader Jack Layton was hustled away by handlers when reporters tried to clarify if he had threatened to pull out.

"I'm looking forward to debating the prime minister," was his only comment.

A statement from Bloc Quebecois Leader Gilles Duceppe stressed that he would attend the debates with or without May, although his preference is to limit participation to the four major parties represented in the Commons.

Most Canadians will find her exclusion "deeply anti-democratic, whether they plan to vote Green or not," May fumed. Especially galling, she said, is the fact Duceppe is allowed in even though voters outside Quebec can't vote for his party.

"They can vote for the Green party in all 306 ridings across Canada. They want to know where we stand."

She says Harper's bid to freeze her out has more to do with concern that the Greens could eat into Conservative support.

It's also the latest in a string of actions that suggest Harper's distaste for women's full equality and a dislike of feminists in particular, she charged.

Pollsters have repeatedly cited as a potential weakness the Conservative failure to sway female voters.

"I think it's because (Harper) removed from the mandate of Status of Women Canada achieving equality for women," May said.

"I think it's because he cancelled universal child care when it was within our grasp. I think it's because women look at him and realize that here is someone who really does have a deep antipathy for the aspirations of many Canadian women for full equality, full participation."