Thomas Mulcair Backs Out of Women’s Debate

(OTTAWA) - Thomas Mulcair is letting down Canadians in changing his mind about his participation in a debate focused on women’s issues, said Elizabeth May, Leader of the Green Party of Canada (Saanich – Gulf Islands):

“As the only woman leader of a federal political party, I know women have deep concerns about all areas of public policy. Excluding women's voices from debates is profoundly anti-democratic, yet the Conservatives and the NDP have now signalled repeatedly that the leaders’ debates they prefer are those with no woman leader present.

“Now the debate on women's issues that had been in the works for months, a debate that had been agreed upon with an accepted date negotiated with the NDP, Liberals, Greens, and Bloc, has been cancelled.

“Is it possible Thomas Mulcair has not considered the message this sends to young women and girls?  I find it incomprehensible that someone leading a ‘progressive party’ would renege on a commitment to a broad coalition of social justice and feminist organizations.  In the spirit of cooperation, I ask him to reconsider.”

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For additional information or to arrange an interview, contact:

Julian Morelli
Director of Communications
Green Party of Canada
cell: (613) 614 4916
office: (613) 562 4916 (224)
julian.morelli@greenparty.ca

Or

Kirsten Strom
Executive Assistant to Director of Communications
t: 613.562.4916 (200)
Toll Free 1.866.868.3447
kirsten.strom@greenparty.ca