Green Party disqualified from federal leaders' debates for not meeting candidate threshold

Green Party co-leader Jonathan Pedneault called the decision to remove the party from the debates "undemocratic."

Sheila Gunn Reid
  |   April 16, 2025   |   News   |   2 Comments

 

The Canadian Press / Spencer Colby

The Leaders' Debates Commission has rescinded the Green Party of Canada's invitation to participate in the upcoming federal leaders' debates, citing the party's failure to meet the required candidate threshold.

Initially invited on April 1, the Green Party was expected to run candidates in at least 90% of federal ridings—a criterion it ultimately did not fulfill.

The Commission's participation criteria stipulate that a party must satisfy at least two of the following: have at least one sitting MP, secure a minimum of 4% national support in opinion polls, and field candidates in at least 90% of ridings.

While the Greens met the first two conditions, they fell short on the third, nominating candidates in only 232 out of 338 ridings, approximately 69%.

The debates are scheduled for April 16 (French) and April 17 (English) in Montreal. Moderators Patrice Roy and Steve Paikin will oversee the events, which will feature leaders from the Liberal, Conservative, NDP, and Bloc Québécois parties.

Notably, the People's Party of Canada was also excluded for not meeting the established criteria.

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Sheila Gunn Reid

Chief Reporter

Sheila Gunn Reid is the Editor-in-Chief, Alberta Bureau Chief, member of the board of directors, and host of The Gunn Show at Rebel News. Sheila also serves as President of the Independent Press Gallery of Canada. A mother of three and longtime conservative activist, Sheila is the author of bestselling books, including her most recent release, Independence Blueprint: What Alberta Can Learn From Quebec.

https://mybook.to/sheila

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COMMENTS

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  • Bruce Atchison
    commented 2025-04-16 19:56:26 -0400
    What makes the greens so entitled? It isn’t a God-given right for small parties to be excluded.
  • Andrzej Matuch
    commented 2025-04-16 11:21:46 -0400
    I’m sure that Green Frankenstein here is also upset that the PPC was not allowed to participate. If not, he and like-minded Communists should keep quiet and go back to smoking pot, or whatever the Hell these losers do.