Former Prime Minister Joe Clark in a landmark opinion peice in today's Globe and Mail calls for Elizabeth May's inclusion in the televised leaders debates.
Canada's 16th Prime Minister in no uncertain terms points out that our electoral system is broken and needs changing.
Clark doesn't pull any punches. He calls Harper, Layton and Duceppe's actions blackmail -- and writes "if these thee men want to boycott a genuine debate let them do so openly."
(the Bloc very shortly after the consortium released it's decsion stated that it had never said it would not participate in a debate if the Greens were included -- so that leaves only Harper and Layton engaging in blackmail).
Elizabeth notes in her blog Piece of Cake today: "The bulk of the voters I spoke to today, whether it was out main-street canvassing or sitting in the New Glasgow office, were horrified that I have been excluded from the debates. We received phone calls from across the country to let us know that long-time Conservatives and NDPers were switching their votes to the Green Party out of disgust for the blatant partisan bullying displayed by" Stephen Harper and Jack Layton.
You can read Joe Clark's full column at
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080910.COCLARK10/TPSt...
But this such a defining moment -- the former Progressive Conservative Prime Minister endorsing the Green Pary's inclusion in the debates -- I'd suggest getting a copy of the Globe today at cutting this out.