Letter to CBC -Leaders' Debate -All Voices Must be Heard

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When: 01:22 PM September 10, 2008 to 01:23 PM October 13, 2008

Letter to CBC -Leaders' Debate -All Voices Must be Heard
http://coic.ca/main/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=39&Itemid=2

Vince Carlin
CBC Ombudsman
Ombudsman@CBC.CA

September 10,2008
RE: CBC Potential PM -Leaders’ Debates

Dear Sir

An election has been called, albeit using a process which appears to be contrary to both Convention, tradition and electoral law. If we are going to proceed with this election as if it is legal, then ought not the CBC honour its obligation to the public as its national public broadcasting system?

Elections Canada has registered 16 political parties. They are all legal and all permitted to run candidates in all 308 ridings. Some will do so, others will not. Any party that is running more than 155 candidates has the potential to form the government and their leader become the Prime Minister. Does this situation not suggest that the Canadian people ought to be able to test these potential Prime Ministers through the debate process?

You have stated that you will not permit Elizabeth May to participate in the leaders debates, because if you do then the Conservative party leader will not participate. That is his right, not yours to manipulate. The Bloc party does not run 155 candidates and therefore will never be able to form the government, neither will their leader ever be our PM. The Bloc does not run a candidate outside of the province of Quebec, besides the fact that their mandate is the destruction of Canada, they are not able to address the national concerns of Canadians, nor do they suggest they want to. So why are Canadians outside of Quebec having to listen to his arguments, while not being permitted to listen to leaders who could have an impact on all of Canada? Why is a leader who could be the next PM prevented from debating the issues with the other ‘potential PM’s’ ?

Surely this all male panel is not intimidated by the thought of debating a ‘woman’? If they are then let that be declared, rather than hiding being the coat-tails of the public broadcaster and some lame arguments about May possibly endorsing the Liberals. Who can see the future? Surely Canadians expected Mr. Harper to live within the law he created on fixed elections? So there is no precedent for politicians keeping their word, why should we hold Ms. May to this standard and not the others? Surely Canadians want to hear the voice of the other gender that makes up our population and heavily influences society?

Surely it is not because Ms May is going to bring the real election issues on to the table? Like the unholy war in Afghanistan which is costing too many of our children's lives, or the North American Union which will bring about more involvement in U.S. wars, less rights for Canadians, more police state programs and overall loss of our sovereignty etc.? Or maybe she was planning to talk about using the Bank of Canada to fund our social programs? I'm not a party supporter, but I sure would like to know what she is planning to talk about that the others don't want us to hear?

Canadians do not under any circumstances vote for their PM. We vote for individual candidates, so any advertising or media polls etc. that ask, ‘who are you voting for’ and give the option of 4 leaders, is misleading at best. We do however have a right to hear what their parties represent and examine their platforms.

When the leaders of the parties dictate that they will not debate if certain other leaders participate, and you concede, you are being bullied and allowing that bullying to interfere with the freedom of speech of the others. Not to mention you deny Canadians the right to hear from potential PM’s.

In this particular case you are denying the right of one female potential PM. Canadian women have fought for the right to vote, to be considered a person, to be able to own property, gain equal pay for equal work and now the CBC is denying the right of a woman to be heard on the same stage as her male counterparts. Regardless of how CBC may elevate one or another member of a party, or the party itself and exclude others, the reality is that during an election all of these leaders are being considered for the job; none can say the position is theirs until after October 14, 2008. Further they are all dependent on their party's candidates election results; they do not stand on their own for this job.

It is rather unusual that the prospective employee dictates the interview process, or dictates who their competitors or opponents are and who the employer can interview. As the CBC is acting on behalf of its employer, (the Canadian people) it must be seen as impartial to the process. We are the employer and we have the right to hear from all candidates, without any screening from anyone!

If some of the leaders do not wish to participate, then you have the option of placing a ‘rubber chicken’ in their place, as the people do in their ridings. It is that simple. You do not have the right to eliminate a candidate from the leaders’ debates based on pressure from one or more of the candidates. Let the Canadian people decide who’s behaviour is appropriate, rather than worrying about your ratings in this endeavor.

If you were worried about ratings however, why is the Canadian leader’s debate being held on the same night as the U.S. Vice-Presidential debates? There are many days in this campaign and I would think you could chose a date where our Canadian election is the most prominent.

Please consider my thoughts on this issue. It not only appears discriminatory against women, it also appears to interfere with the electoral process, freedom of speech and the role of CBC as the ‘public’ broadcaster.

I look forward to you reconsidering your decision.

Yours truly
Catherine Whelan Costen
cc: Media
Jack Layton, Elizabeth May, Gilles Duceppe, Steven Harper

Contact information: cathpublish@wildroseinternet.ca

Web link for more information: www.coic.ca

by Canadianinmotion