Could the lack of a Green Party candidate in Swift Current—Grasslands—Kindersley have impacted their place in the federal leaders' debates?
Green Party co-Leader Jonathan Pedneault was pulled from the stage by the debate commission after the party claimed they had pulled back their number of candidates for strategic reasons.
That may have included the southwest Saskatchewan riding.
At the start of the election, they had listed North Hunter as their Green Party candidate for Swift Current—Grasslands—Kindersley, and Hunter conducted an interview with Swift Current Online.
Hunter's name then wasn't listed among the riding's candidates on the Elections Canada website and her profile was removed from the Green Party website as well.
"North Hunter is indeed no longer running in the riding of Swift Current—Grasslands—Kindersley," the Green Party told Swift Current Online via e-mail. "We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused."
The party didn't clarify why Hunter's candidacy ended. We reached out to Hunter and have yet to receive a reply.
The Leaders' Debates Commission removed the Green Party from federal leaders' debates shortly before yesterday's French debate for failing to meet participation requirements.
"Deliberately reducing the number of candidates running for strategic reasons is inconsistent with the Leaders' Debates Commission's interpretation of party viability, which criterion (iii) was designed to measure," said a commission statement. "The Commission concludes that the inclusion of the leader of the Green Party of Canada in these circumstances would undermine the integrity of the debates and the interests of the voting public."
North Hunter recently ran in Weyburn-Bengough for the Saskatchewan Green Party in the provincial election.
Carol Vandale received 0.83% of the vote as the 2021 Green candidate in the former riding of Cypress Hills-Grasslands.
The English language leaders' debate is set for tonight.