本文发表在 rolia.net 枫下论坛May gets green light with a push from the people
GLORIA GALLOWAY and BILL CURRY AND STEVEN CHASE
With a report from Jane Taber
September 11, 2008
TORONTO, NEW GLASGOW, N.S, VAUGHAN, ONT. -- As the head of a political party that prides itself on being the voice of inclusion and popular democracy, Jack Layton had been put into an especially prickly position.
For two days, the NDP Leader was lambasted for his party's decision to bar Green Party Leader Elizabeth May from the October federal election debates.
His critics spanned a wide spectrum: from the YWCA, to feminist activist Judy Rebick, to members of Mr. Layton's own party who quietly told reporters at campaign stops that they did not understand what was in their leader's head.
Mr. Layton's Facebook page was flooded with posts from people identifying themselves as NDP supporters, expressing displeasure and even farewell with such comments as: "What the hell Jack?" "Truly disgusting." "No excuse." "This is wrong." "Opportunistic."
And at every news conference at every campaign stop, reporters demanded an explanation.
Mr. Layton repeatedly blamed the broadcast consortium that made the final call about Ms. May's exclusion. His party had simply agreed to abide by the rules, he said.
But both the NDP and the Conservatives said they threatened to boycott the event if Ms. May was given a place on the stage.
It's not the first time the Tories have objected to the inclusion of the Greens at the debate table. Tony Burman, former editor-in-chief of CBC News and the chair of the network consortium that organized the debates in 2000, 2004 and 2006, wrote in an article for globeandmail.com yesterday that including the Green Party was discussed by the networks at a meeting in 2007, when there were fears the minority government might fold.
"Within days of the meeting, we were privately told by the Conservative Party representative that Prime Minister Harper would not participate in the debates if the Green Party leader was there," he writes.
This time, Mr. Layton and Mr. Harper said they objected to her presence because, on occasion, she had expressed support for Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion. Allowing her into the debate would effectively put two Liberals on the stage, they argued.
The explanation did nothing to quell the voices calling for Ms. May's inclusion.
At a news conference in Oshawa, east of Toronto, yesterday morning where Mr. Layton unveiled a key plank in his campaign platform - an $8-billion plan to create 40,000 jobs in a new "green economy" - reporters remained more interested in the Green Party's banishment from the debate .
And across the parking lot, a small group waved Green Party signs and chanted: "Let Elizabeth speak."
"The majority of Canadians want Elizabeth at the debate," said Cavan Gostlin, a protester whose ex-wife, Pat Gostlin, is running for the Greens.
It was a small demonstration, but one that threatened to be repeated at other stops of the NDP campaign.
Two hours after the Oshawa event, at another stop in the Toronto suburb of Scarborough, Mr. Layton raised the white flag.
"I have only one condition for this debate, that the Prime Minister is there, because I want to debate the issues with him. I don't want to be debating the debate forever," Mr. Layton told reporters.
"If the Prime Minister is there, I will be there, period," he said.
NDP sources said Mr. Layton was tired of the controversy dominating every news conference and drowning out issues he considers important.
In the end, one NDP official said, the party realized reporters were not going to stop the questions until the matter was resolved - and the issue was not worth the aggravation.
Mr. Layton's about-face put the onus on Mr. Harper to decide whether the ban against Ms. May would be lifted.
The Conservatives said that, as early as yesterday morning, their campaign staff talked with NDP officials and there was no indication that Mr. Layton was reconsidering.
"In fact, they gave us an indication to the contrary," a senior Conservative official said.
The Tories heard that Mr. Layton had reversed his position only when the NDP Leader informed journalists that was the case. "We learned of it by newswire," the Conservative official said.
The NDP confirm there was no discussion between the two camps before Mr. Layton backed down. Left alone in their opposition, the Conservatives gave up the fight.
Tory spokesman Kory Teneycke said his party did not want to be the odd man out.
"It appears the NDP has changed their position. Our position has been to support the NDP on this point of principle. We are not going to be the only ones to boycott the debate," Mr. Teneycke said.
Mr. Teneycke went on to say that, given the reversal, it is only fair that all parties be allowed to bring to the debate their candidate for Central Nova, where Ms. May is running for the Greens. He was referring to the fact that Mr. Dion has agreed not to run a Liberal candidate in the Nova Scotia riding, leaving the field more open for Ms. May.
The Tory jab did nothing to dampen Ms. May's delight.
She shouted with joy in her New Glasgow, N.S., campaign office as she watched CTV Newsnet report that the Conservatives had backed down.
"I want to thank every single one of thousands and thousands and thousands of Canadians who cared enough about democracy to protest the initial decision that I would not be included," she said as she waited for the broadcasting consortium to say she would be accepted into the debate.
That confirmation came late in the afternoon.
The Liberals, meanwhile, put out a release taking credit for the change. "It's a good day for women, it's a good day for Canadian democracy. I'm pleased that Mr. Harper and Mr. Layton backtracked. It was time," Mr. Dion said.
Canadians across the country expressed support for the decision. Kempton Lam, a Calgarian who has never voted Green before, said Mr. Layton and Mr. Harper "lost big marks" with their initial refusal to allow Ms. May into the debate.
"When I found out [that the decision was reversed] I was really happy, and this is going to sound corny, but my eyes were a little wet," Mr. Lam said. "We collectively were able to reverse a seemingly irreversible decision."更多精彩文章及讨论，请光临枫下论坛 rolia.net
GLORIA GALLOWAY and BILL CURRY AND STEVEN CHASE
With a report from Jane Taber
September 11, 2008
TORONTO, NEW GLASGOW, N.S, VAUGHAN, ONT. -- As the head of a political party that prides itself on being the voice of inclusion and popular democracy, Jack Layton had been put into an especially prickly position.
For two days, the NDP Leader was lambasted for his party's decision to bar Green Party Leader Elizabeth May from the October federal election debates.
His critics spanned a wide spectrum: from the YWCA, to feminist activist Judy Rebick, to members of Mr. Layton's own party who quietly told reporters at campaign stops that they did not understand what was in their leader's head.
Mr. Layton's Facebook page was flooded with posts from people identifying themselves as NDP supporters, expressing displeasure and even farewell with such comments as: "What the hell Jack?" "Truly disgusting." "No excuse." "This is wrong." "Opportunistic."
And at every news conference at every campaign stop, reporters demanded an explanation.
Mr. Layton repeatedly blamed the broadcast consortium that made the final call about Ms. May's exclusion. His party had simply agreed to abide by the rules, he said.
But both the NDP and the Conservatives said they threatened to boycott the event if Ms. May was given a place on the stage.
It's not the first time the Tories have objected to the inclusion of the Greens at the debate table. Tony Burman, former editor-in-chief of CBC News and the chair of the network consortium that organized the debates in 2000, 2004 and 2006, wrote in an article for globeandmail.com yesterday that including the Green Party was discussed by the networks at a meeting in 2007, when there were fears the minority government might fold.
"Within days of the meeting, we were privately told by the Conservative Party representative that Prime Minister Harper would not participate in the debates if the Green Party leader was there," he writes.
This time, Mr. Layton and Mr. Harper said they objected to her presence because, on occasion, she had expressed support for Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion. Allowing her into the debate would effectively put two Liberals on the stage, they argued.
The explanation did nothing to quell the voices calling for Ms. May's inclusion.
At a news conference in Oshawa, east of Toronto, yesterday morning where Mr. Layton unveiled a key plank in his campaign platform - an $8-billion plan to create 40,000 jobs in a new "green economy" - reporters remained more interested in the Green Party's banishment from the debate .
And across the parking lot, a small group waved Green Party signs and chanted: "Let Elizabeth speak."
"The majority of Canadians want Elizabeth at the debate," said Cavan Gostlin, a protester whose ex-wife, Pat Gostlin, is running for the Greens.
It was a small demonstration, but one that threatened to be repeated at other stops of the NDP campaign.
Two hours after the Oshawa event, at another stop in the Toronto suburb of Scarborough, Mr. Layton raised the white flag.
"I have only one condition for this debate, that the Prime Minister is there, because I want to debate the issues with him. I don't want to be debating the debate forever," Mr. Layton told reporters.
"If the Prime Minister is there, I will be there, period," he said.
NDP sources said Mr. Layton was tired of the controversy dominating every news conference and drowning out issues he considers important.
In the end, one NDP official said, the party realized reporters were not going to stop the questions until the matter was resolved - and the issue was not worth the aggravation.
Mr. Layton's about-face put the onus on Mr. Harper to decide whether the ban against Ms. May would be lifted.
The Conservatives said that, as early as yesterday morning, their campaign staff talked with NDP officials and there was no indication that Mr. Layton was reconsidering.
"In fact, they gave us an indication to the contrary," a senior Conservative official said.
The Tories heard that Mr. Layton had reversed his position only when the NDP Leader informed journalists that was the case. "We learned of it by newswire," the Conservative official said.
The NDP confirm there was no discussion between the two camps before Mr. Layton backed down. Left alone in their opposition, the Conservatives gave up the fight.
Tory spokesman Kory Teneycke said his party did not want to be the odd man out.
"It appears the NDP has changed their position. Our position has been to support the NDP on this point of principle. We are not going to be the only ones to boycott the debate," Mr. Teneycke said.
Mr. Teneycke went on to say that, given the reversal, it is only fair that all parties be allowed to bring to the debate their candidate for Central Nova, where Ms. May is running for the Greens. He was referring to the fact that Mr. Dion has agreed not to run a Liberal candidate in the Nova Scotia riding, leaving the field more open for Ms. May.
The Tory jab did nothing to dampen Ms. May's delight.
She shouted with joy in her New Glasgow, N.S., campaign office as she watched CTV Newsnet report that the Conservatives had backed down.
"I want to thank every single one of thousands and thousands and thousands of Canadians who cared enough about democracy to protest the initial decision that I would not be included," she said as she waited for the broadcasting consortium to say she would be accepted into the debate.
That confirmation came late in the afternoon.
The Liberals, meanwhile, put out a release taking credit for the change. "It's a good day for women, it's a good day for Canadian democracy. I'm pleased that Mr. Harper and Mr. Layton backtracked. It was time," Mr. Dion said.
Canadians across the country expressed support for the decision. Kempton Lam, a Calgarian who has never voted Green before, said Mr. Layton and Mr. Harper "lost big marks" with their initial refusal to allow Ms. May into the debate.
"When I found out [that the decision was reversed] I was really happy, and this is going to sound corny, but my eyes were a little wet," Mr. Lam said. "We collectively were able to reverse a seemingly irreversible decision."更多精彩文章及讨论，请光临枫下论坛 rolia.net