Green leader Elizabeth May  Elizabeth May MP
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Greens admit candidate withdrawals hurt debate participation

Western Standard News Services

The Green Party has admitted that several of its candidates dropped out of the election race to avoid splitting the progressive vote, a move that ultimately cost the party its spot in the televised federal debates.

In a Federal Court application challenging their disqualification, Green Party lawyers acknowledged that “a small number of candidates, no more than 15, decided to withdraw their candidacy to avoid splitting the progressive vote.”

Blacklock's Reporter says the withdrawals, they said, severely reduced the number of Green candidates and harmed the party’s ability to meet debate participation rules.

The Leaders’ Debates Commission barred the Greens from the televised debates scheduled for April 16 and 17 after the party failed to meet the requirement of fielding a minimum of 308 candidates.

Although the Greens initially claimed 340 nominations, only 232 candidates were officially registered by the April 7 deadline at Elections Canada.

Party lawyers, from Power Law Ltd. of Ottawa, argued that the Commission’s decision was “unreasonable,” especially the suggestion that the Greens had deliberately and dishonestly withdrawn candidates.

Internal communications cited by media reports suggested the party pulled candidates strategically in ridings where they believed Conservatives had a better chance of winning.

Greens also told the court they faced significant obstacles in recruiting and nominating candidates, including hostility from voters who were concerned about splitting the progressive vote, intimidation of volunteers, and difficulties verifying nomination signatures due to outdated voter lists.

The party asked a federal judge to overturn the Commission’s decision, calling it a violation of procedural fairness and an infringement on Charter rights related to freedom of expression and the right to vote.

No defence has yet been filed in court.

This marks the first federal election in a decade where the Greens were absent from the televised debates, which are among the most influential events in a national campaign.

“I could not have believed it was possible,” said Green MP Elizabeth May, noting that the party historically performed best when included in the debates.