She's in

Globe and Mail

The political path has been cleared for Elizabeth May to participate in the televised leaders debates after first NDP Leader Jack Layton and minutes later Conservative Leader Stephen Harper withdrew threats to boycott. The reversals could be a pivotal point in this federal election campaign. Dogged by protesters and divisions within the ranks of his own party, Mr. Layton told reporters during a visit to a solar-panel company here Wednesday that the debate about the debate has become an unwanted distraction. “I have only one condition for this debate, that the Prime Minister is there, because I want to debate the issues with him,” said Mr. Layton. “I don't want to be debating the debate forever.”

Mr. Layton's change of heart put the onus squarely on the shoulders of Mr. Harper to decide where the block against Ms. May will remain. Conservative spokesman Kory Teneycke then said the Tories were dropping their opposition to Ms. May participating in the debate. “Our point of principle doesn't change but . . . we would not boycott the debate,” Mr. Teneycke said. “We don't think she should be there. But if the NDP have decided they're changing their position, we will not stand alone.” Ms. May shouted with joy in her New Glasgow, N.S. campaign office as she watched CTV Newsnet report that the Conservatives had backed down from their threat to boycott the debates if the Green leader was invited. Ms. May said she now awaits an invitation to the debates from the consortium of broadcasters. “I think it's fair to infer that at this point the consortium must accept that there are no legitimate grounds on which to exclude the Green Party from the televised leaders debate,” she told the Globe and Mail.