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For immediate release
May 16, 2014
(Guelph): Mike Schreiner, leader of the Green Party of Ontario and candidate in Guelph, has been sidelined from the televised leaders’ debate scheduled for June 3.
“The people of Ontario have welcomed me and the Green Party’s ideas with open minds and hearts since this campaign started,” said Schreiner. “I want everyone to be able to make up their minds honestly.”
Elizabeth May, Green Party of Canada leader and MP for Saanich—Gulf Islands, was included in the 2008 debates, and leaders of provincial Green parties in BC, New Brunswick, and PEI have also participated fully in their campaigns’ broadcast debates.
The criteria used by the media consortium to decide who is invited to the debate have never been transparent. The Green Party would like to see the rules about such an important forum for democratic decision-making made more clear. Ideally, those rules would be applied by a neutral, arms-length body.
“I have to wonder what they’re afraid of,” said GPO provincial campaign manager, Kathy Acheson. “I guess it’s honesty, integrity, and good public policy. Scary indeed!”
Around the world, Greens have been elected and have served in government. In Ontario, the Green Party has run a full slate of candidates for the last four general elections, and participates in all by-elections.
The Green Party of Ontario, and its leader Mike Schreiner, is on a mission to bring honesty, integrity, and good public policy back to Queen’s Park.
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Media contact: Candice Lepage
519.362.9472
candicelepage@gpo.ca