While I personally find some of the opinions expressed by several candidates unsavory, I think they represent opinions that are prevalent and rather then shutting them down they should have to confront the electorate - supposing they make themselves available in all candidate meetings. Democracy demands a lot of vigilance; The important part is for candidates to actually have to answer questions from voters or journalists- The cocooned campaign style where journalists are not travelling with the core team is worrisome as is the refusal of candidates to go to all candidate meetings.
It depends on how serious the controversial views are. Our democracy in Canada and in our world are being threatened. The whole world is on alert with the upcoming election and Trump interference.
Such exclusions deny the democratic rights of the membership of the party's riding. In the case of the NDP, candidates who have expressed criticism's of Israel's egregious behavior, fully within the context of international law, have been arbitrarily excluded. In doing so, we have a hamstrung democracy which operates on the basis of taboos. Democracy means that viewpoints must be allowed to be publicly expressed, except where they invoke violence or lawlessness.
While I personally find some of the opinions expressed by several candidates unsavory, I think they represent opinions that are prevalent and rather then shutting them down they should have to confront the electorate - supposing they make themselves available in all candidate meetings. Democracy demands a lot of vigilance; The important part is for candidates to actually have to answer questions from voters or journalists- The cocooned campaign style where journalists are not travelling with the core team is worrisome as is the refusal of candidates to go to all candidate meetings.
It depends on how serious the controversial views are. Our democracy in Canada and in our world are being threatened. The whole world is on alert with the upcoming election and Trump interference.
Sr. Marilyn Larocque
Such exclusions deny the democratic rights of the membership of the party's riding. In the case of the NDP, candidates who have expressed criticism's of Israel's egregious behavior, fully within the context of international law, have been arbitrarily excluded. In doing so, we have a hamstrung democracy which operates on the basis of taboos. Democracy means that viewpoints must be allowed to be publicly expressed, except where they invoke violence or lawlessness.