A Time Honored Tradition

Every election a time honored tradition takes place. It is passed down from generation to generation like so many of our customs, and is part of the fabric that what makes our elections what they are. This never fails to happen in any free election with long established parties I've seen, it's not just limited to Canada.

I'm speaking of course of wacco fringe parties trying to get included in the debates.

Every election in either Canada or the United States, you see all the "protest voters" start whining about their fringe party dejour not being allowed in the debates and this election is no exception. I've just come from a message board I frequent in which a "gentelman" is organizing a pathetic campaign to try to get users to write a letter to all five networks about this "injustice."

How about they at least get official party status before they are allowed to participate in a national debate? Or at least at least elect one MP! Otherwise all the other parties will want in as well and we'd have a debacle of epic proportions on our hand. Every wackjob and lunatic across the country would start their own political party (It's really not that hard) just so they could get in to the debates.

People will complain that it makes it too hard to get elected in any significant numbers. It's supposed to be hard, getting official party status should not be an easy thing to accomplish.

I for one don't even think they should be getting funding from Elections Canada, I think only the main four parties should, but that's not my call.