The Liberal government has nominated former governor-general David Johnston as the first debates commissioner, tasked with organizing two leaders' debates to be held during the 2019 federal election.
Democratic Institutions Minister Karina Gould announced Tuesday the government's plan to set up an independent, non-partisan debates commission as well as the criteria for deciding which parties get to participate.
In order for a party's leader to participate in the debates, that party must meet at least two of three criteria:
- It must have at least one MP elected under that party's banner.
- It must intend to run candidates in at least 90 per cent of Canada's 338 ridings
- It must have obtained at least four per cent of the vote in the previous election or have a "legitimate chance" of winning seats, based on polling data and at the discretion of the commissioner
Meanwhile Elizabeth May has not gotten over what Stephen Harper & Thomas Mulcair did in the last debates (refusing to participate in the National Televised Debate). She is suggesting that a penalty be placed in any leader refuses to appear in National Televised Debate. Watch below