OTTAWA (AFP) — Green Party leader Elizabeth May, excluded from televised debates with the leaders of Canada's four main political parties, on Monday threatened a lawsuit to force organizers to include her.
The Canadian network consortium that will broadcast the debates ahead of an October 14 general election said in a statement it had asked all the parties if May could be included in the leaders' debates, set for October 1 and 2.
"However, three parties opposed (her) inclusion and it became clear that if the Green Party were included, there would be no leaders' debates."
The consortium thus decided it was better to hold the debates with only the four major party leaders, "rather than not at all."
"I think it really is appalling that the media consortium is willing at this point to rewrite the rules on what parties are allowed in the leaders' debates," May responded angrily.
She noted the relatively new Green Party has candidates across Canada, although only one previously sitting MP -- a former Independent who announced last week that he would join the Green Party.
The latest polls put the Greens, with between seven and 10 percent public support, in fifth place.
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