CTV is defending their NB party leader’s roundtable event that was criticised as undemocratic. The event aired September 18th and featured party leaders from PC, Liberal and NDP. The Leaders sparred over the hot topics of New Brunswick. CTV received backlash for not including Green leader, David Coon or People’s Alliance leader Kris Austin. Fredericton North Green Party candidate, Madeleine Berrevoets is worried for the democratic state of NB. “We need to step up as the public and hold CTV accountable and hold our media accountable because this is not a democracy,” said Berrevoets. The CTV roundtable is the last televised event before the election. Berrevoets says that the roundtable event reflects NB democracy. “It’s not just the CTV debate. This is happening in government right now,” said Berrevoets. “We’re not having public consultations. We’re ignoring our first nations. We’re not including the people in the decisions being made in the province.” There was a small protest at the end of the event. Two NB youth held loose-leaf signs while an older gentleman vocalised his concerns. CTV’s Steve Murphy moderated the roundtable. Murphy says that CTV’s campaign coverage has been balanced and fair. “We did 10 – 12 minute interviews with all five of the leaders,” said Murphy. This is the third year that CTV has hosted a roundtable event with the top three party leaders. “This really wasn’t a debate… this was really a panel discussion.” Murphy said that 93% of NB voters vote NDP, PC or Liberal, meaning that 7% of voters didn’t have a voice at the table. NDP leader, Dominic Cardy understands why CTV invited only the top three. He also agrees that two extra chairs at the table wouldn’t have hurt the conversation. “CTV does these things in the other provinces and they always only invite three parties,” said Cardy. “Unfortunately they(Green and PA) weren’t there to get their voices heard but at the same time CTV said if they included more people they wouldn’t have had the debate.” Cardy doesn’t think the event was undemocratic. “If this was the only forum for those leaders to have gotten their voice out there then I would be much more upset about it.” Cardy, along with many in attendance that night, would have liked to see all five leaders at the table. “It’s good to have more people talking. That’s what democracy is all about,” said Cardy. Before the event, CTV said that with five leaders at the one table there just wouldn’t have been time to ask all their questions and still air the event. CTV is the only large network to not include all five leaders at their larger debate-style broadcasts. The roundtable is the last televised discussion before Election Day. Many Green and PA supporters are worried that this could damage their results at the polls. -Sean McCullum Twitter: @SeanMcCity Chris Brooks

• published: 21 Sep 2014
• views: 24