If People’s Party of Canada (PPC) leader Maxime Bernier is not allowed to participate in this year’s federal leaders’ debates, it will seriously call into question the impartiality of the whole process.
Debates Commissioner David Johnston has until Sept. 16 to make his final decision, but has so far issued a tentative “no” based on a bunch of needlessly complex criteria.
Canadians were right to support Elizabeth May’s participation in the debates in past years. The Green Party of Canada has consistently failed to elect more than one Member of Parliament. But its annual convention brings out thousands of members and the party clearly speaks to the interests of many voters.
Likewise, it’s right that Yves-Francois Blanchet – someone most Canadians have likely never heard of before – will also participate. (He’s the leader of the Bloc Quebecois.)
There are clear strategic reasons governing some people’s opinions about the PPC. If Bernier is in the debates, it will likely change how some people vote. One presumed outcome is that some people considering voting Conservative will instead switch their votes to the PPC. Perhaps. And if this happens, it’s not good for Conservative leader Andrew Scheer, who has the greatest chance of unseating Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
That said, Bernier’s populist stances may cause unexpected things – such as bringing disaffected electors who typically don’t vote out to the polls. He may also win support from intended Liberal or NDP voters. Who knows?
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See Also:
(1) Billboard promoting People’s Party of Canada anti-mass immigration stance crops up in Vancouver
(2) People’s Party Lists Well-Known Candidates As Part Of Bid For Debates
(4) N.S. premier, MP take aim at billboards telling Canadians to ‘say no to mass immigration’
“Plus their leader has a seat in the House of Commons and is a former minister of foreign affairs.”
True … but he became both of those under the Conservative Party banner.
As for Bernier’s having the right to exercise his freedom of speech, not much prevents him from doing so in today’s social media platforms. In this election, my vote is intended to keep Trudeau out rather than get Scheer in, despite the fact my riding has no hope of going CPC. As I’ve explained before in another thread, some CPC positions have disappointed, but overall a Conservative win is better than a Liberal one. IMO, a PPC vote is effectively a pro-Trudeau vote.