This is what democratic suppression looks like. And it’s a pattern.

First, CTV cancels a fact-checking segment after a Conservative-led outrage campaign. Then the NDP pressures a nonpartisan advocacy group to change its polling analysis?. And now, the Bloc and Conservatives mount a coordinated campaign to exclude the Green Party from the national leaders’ debates—and the Commission caves.

Worse still, the Leaders’ Debates Commission didn’t even inform the Green Party of its decision until this morning—after it had already informed the media and issued a public statement. That’s not how an impartial and independent body operates. This is the third time in this very election that a campaign of pressure and intimidation has succeeded in silencing voices. And in every case, those doing the silencing are parties with power—aiming to hold on to it by suppressing dissent and distorting public debate.

Let’s be clear: the Commission confirmed our eligibility. We met their criteria. We were invited. And then, under pressure from our political opponents, they reinterpreted the rules and revoked our invitation. They erred on the side of less democracy, less inclusion and less rather more diversity. The Commission was created to ensure fair, transparent and non-partisan debate rules. Instead, it caved under pressure in reversing its own position based on spin, not facts. When institutions designed to protect democracy start bowing to those who undermine it, we’re in trouble.

The negative consequences of excluding the Green Party affect the quality of democratic debate: Less pluralism, decreased electoral vitality (risking the demobilization of certain voters), and jeopardizing trust in our electoral institutions. 

Conversely, ensuring the inclusion of all relevant voices can strengthen democracy: more citizens feel listened to, the debate is richer, and the electoral competition is understood as a fair and open contest. Far from strengthening the integrity of the debate, the exclusion of the Green Party undermines it in the eyes of the public. A healthy democracy does not fear diversity of opinion but considers it a source of richness. 

This isn’t just about the Green Party. It’s a sign of a democratic deficit. Canadians deserve better than this. Democracy deserves better than this.