People91裸聊视频檚 Party of Canada Leader Maxime Bernier secured an invitation Monday to two official leaders91裸聊视频� debates in October.
The Leaders91裸聊视频� Debates Commission, formed by the federal government to organize the two debates, said Bernier91裸聊视频檚 party has a 91裸聊视频渓egitimate91裸聊视频� chance of electing members in more than one seat and he therefore qualifies to participate, a decision that drew immediate objections from the Conservatives and New Democrats.
Bernier has said that participating in the debates is crucial to getting his new party91裸聊视频檚 message in front of potentially receptive voters.
He had previously been denied the chance to debate because the commission found his party did not meet at least two of three criteria for participation:
91裸聊视频� having at least one MP elected as a member of that party;
91裸聊视频� running candidates in at least 90 per cent of Canada91裸聊视频檚 338 ridings; and/or
91裸聊视频� having won at least four per cent of the popular vote in the last election or having a legitimate chance at electing candidates
Bernier is the party91裸聊视频檚 lone MP but he was elected as a Conservative, forming the People91裸聊视频檚 Party after losing the leadership to Andrew Scheer and ultimately concluding that there91裸聊视频檚 little difference between the Tories and the Liberals.
The People91裸聊视频檚 Party is running candidates in more than 90 per cent of Canada91裸聊视频檚 ridings. But the debates commission initially ruled that the party didn91裸聊视频檛 stand a legitimate shot at electing more than one candidate and told Bernier he was out.
After giving the party more time to provide further evidence and to bring the decision closer to the date of the actual election, debates commissioner and former governor general David Johnston said the party does in fact have a 91裸聊视频渞easonable chance91裸聊视频� at winning multiple seats.
91裸聊视频淭hat was the right decision,91裸聊视频� Bernier said in a video posted to Twitter soon after the news.
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Michel Cormier, executive director for the debates commission, expressed confidence in the decision-making process.
91裸聊视频淯nder the leadership of Mr. Johnston, it91裸聊视频檚 been a very reasoned and detailed and deliberate process to make sure we come to the right decision. Because it91裸聊视频檚 a decision of importance,91裸聊视频� Cormier said in an interview.
Johnston noted in a statement made public Monday the decision-making process for determining inclusion was 91裸聊视频渃omplex91裸聊视频� and required interpretation of what was meant by 91裸聊视频渓egitimate chance,91裸聊视频� and how to consider multiple factors 91裸聊视频� some of which were quantifiable and some which were not.
Johnston also said it was difficult to predict the chance of winning in this early stage, but based on past trends, he concluded 91裸聊视频渋t is possible that the PPC91裸聊视频檚 support may change positively over the course of the upcoming campaign.91裸聊视频�
On the question of more recent polling data, the debates commission worked with the research firm EKOS to survey four ridings the PPC flagged as having prominent candidates with a chance of victory.
91裸聊视频淲e decided not to poll people91裸聊视频檚 general voting intentions of other parties91裸聊视频� so the commission could isolate the level of potential support for the People91裸聊视频檚 Party, Cormier said.
91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e not predicting victory here, we91裸聊视频檙e just trying to measure whether they have a reasonable chance,91裸聊视频� he said.
The resulting polling found substantial minorities of people in those four ridings who said it was either 91裸聊视频減ossible, likely, or certain91裸聊视频� they would vote for the PPC candidate.
The level of potential support broke down to 34.1 per cent of respondents in Nipissing-Timiskaming, 29.9 per cent in Etobicoke North and 25.9 per cent in Pickering-Uxbridge, all in Ontario, and 24.5 per cent in Charleswood-St. James-Assiniboia-Headingly, in Manitoba.
The commission also asked polling firm Nanos Research for an opinion on what level of support was needed to win a riding. Based on past electoral results, Nanos responded that parties had a chance of winning a seat if they garnered more than 25-per-cent support.
91裸聊视频淯pon review of this opinion, I conclude that where more than one of four voters in a riding considers voting for a party, that party has a reasonable chance to elect its candidate,91裸聊视频� Johnston said.
The debates commissioner also took into account Bernier91裸聊视频檚 personal popularity in his own riding of Beauce, Que., as well as a submission from the Conservatives that no party has won a seat with national support under three per cent since 1949.
The Conservatives accused Johnston of bias against them. Some Tories have accused EKOS pollster Frank Graves of being anti-Conservative as well, which he91裸聊视频檚 denied.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 no big surprise that Justin Trudeau91裸聊视频檚 hand-picked debate panel used a Liberal-friendly pollster who attacks Andrew Scheer to ultimately justify Mr. Bernier91裸聊视频檚 attendance at the debate,91裸聊视频� press secretary Daniel Schow said by email. 91裸聊视频淭rudeau has been stacking the deck for months, using the power of his office to tilt the playing field in his favour for this election.91裸聊视频�
The New Democrats objected to Bernier91裸聊视频檚 inclusion for a different reason.
91裸聊视频淭he rise of extremism, hate speech and white supremacy is a real threat to our country. Leaders have a responsibility to not feed this problem, but this is exactly what Maxime Bernier is doing,91裸聊视频� the NDP said in a statement.
91裸聊视频淲e think this was the wrong decision. The decision has been made independently, so there is nothing else that we can do, but we hope other leaders will join us in denouncing any hate speech from Maxime Bernier.91裸聊视频�
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The Liberals also offered a statement: 91裸聊视频淥ur Liberal team appointed former governor general, the Right Honourable David Johnston, to lead the new debate commission so decisions on participation for the two official debates would be made independently. We look forward to continuing to share our positive, forward-looking and inclusive vision with Canadians.91裸聊视频�
Bernier will join the leaders of the Liberals, Conservatives, NDP, Bloc Quebecois and Greens in two debates: one in English on Oct. 7 and a French-language debate Oct. 10.
Christian Paas-Lang, The Canadian Press
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