The debate becomes very important — being able to hear these leaders unscripted, pressed by moderators, pressed by one another, to respond to important questions of the day, when so much else that we hear from them comes in a more scripted form. We see their character, their temperament in how they
Organizers say the events are important as voters get a chance to see their candidates up close. But some political watchers suggest the debates, mostly in the federal arena, only matter in tight races. Also, that the local candidate is almost a non-factor, as many voters make their decisions based
Four federal party leaders faced off Wednesday in the first 2019 election debate to include Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau. The debate on TVA — the largest private television station in Quebec — featured Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and Bloc Québécois Yves-François
So this debate could be the event that finally breaks the deadlock in the polls. Even if its English-speaking audience is limited to Ottawa reporters in the parliamentary press gallery, what happens in this debate still could have an impact on what happens in the rest of the country.
Huffington Post Canada’s Ottawa bureau chief and upcoming election debate moderator Althia Raj dined with Justin Trudeau’s best friend and disgraced former principal secretary Gerald Butts Sunday evening, a week before the official leaders’ English debate.
Our special guest speakers will be giving a post-debate rundown and sharing their takes on what came tumbling out of the party leaders’ mouths and what it means for the upcoming election.
"The scope and reach by which the debates will be available to all of Canada is unprecedented in our political history," says Commissioner David Johnston. "It's our hope that all Canadians will come together in this shared experience. Too often, we focus on the things that separate us," he adds.
The People’s Party of Canada (PPC) leader Maxime Bernier, who did not qualify last month, now meets the criteria to participate, according to the debates commissioner.
Organizers of a foreign-policy election debate that was scheduled for next Tuesday have cancelled the event because Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau won’t participate.
The four main party leaders were questioned Monday on whether they would support calls for Maxime Bernier to be removed from the televised federal election debates.
The commission, you’ll recall, initially denied Bernier, the Peoples Party of Canada leader, a debate invitation. Yet it tempered that rebuff by offering the PPC the chance to submit several ridings where it believed it had a “legitimate chance” of winning. If the fledgling far-right party could