This week鈥檚 leaders鈥 debates began in Quebec 鈥 albeit unofficially.
The much-anticipated French-language debate is set for Wednesday night 鈥 scheduled at the same time as the Montreal Canadiens鈥 final regular-season game. Unlike in 2011, when the debate was moved up a day to avoid a similar clash, this time the Leaders鈥 Debates Commission either didn鈥檛 have a choice 鈥 or didn鈥檛 bother to check the Habs鈥 calendar.
Still, Quebec voters have already had two meaningful televised opportunities to size up the contenders.
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First came where each leader faced a trio of journalists in separate segments. There were no 鈥済otcha鈥 moments 鈥 just one revealing one: Liberal Leader and Prime Minister Mark Carney rated his French a 鈥渟ix out of ten,鈥 with a promise to improve.
Then, last night, both Carney and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre appeared separately on ”,” Quebec鈥檚 highly influential Sunday night talk show. The show isn鈥檛 a policy forum, but it can be a political game-changer 鈥 depending on a guest鈥檚 ability to come across as both likeable and composed under pressure.
For Poilievre, it was a chance to showcase the affable, approachable side his allies insist exists. A bit of pre-debate image softening. He came across as composed and good-humoured 鈥 even joking that his wife only encouraged him to do the show so she could meet singer Kevin Parent. It landed.
The tone was more playful than confrontational and the panel, especially Guy A. Lepage and Jean-S茅bastien Girard, engaged with him in a way that was neither overly deferential nor hostile. It allowed him to present a softer version of himself without being challenged too sharply on policy.
When asked聽about his baveux style 鈥 provocative, even smug 鈥 Poilievre recalled how former Conservative cabinet minister and later Quebec Premier Lucien Bouchard once told him that his intensity in defending those failed by bad policies can come off as aggression, even though his goal is simply to build a better life for Canadians. He didn鈥檛 use the anecdote as an apology, but as a pivot. A reframing.
Poilievre cast his past 鈥渁ggressiveness鈥 as conviction-driven: I鈥檝e been intense because I care. Then came the quote that felt like a signal: 鈥淚 was Leader of the Opposition. Now, I鈥檓 preparing to be Prime Minister of Canada 鈥 it鈥檚 time to offer hope.鈥 Yes, he was proud of the passion, but he was also signalling he can shift gears.
He mentioned growing up in Calgary and watching Radio-Canada to maintain his French, credited his wife for encouraging him to appear on the show and argued that giving interviews to local outlets offsets his decision to limit access to media at his rallies.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poili猫vre was at ease on the popular Sunday night talks show, “Tout le monde en parle,” writes 脡ric Blais.聽
Radio-CanadaThe stakes were arguably higher for Carney. Quebecers don鈥檛 demand linguistic perfection, but they do expect cultural fluency. Fail to connect with Quebec鈥檚 cultural realities, and he risked sounding out of touch 鈥 something Bloc Leader Yves-Fran莽ois Blanchet would very much like to exploit.
Carney was asked how he differs from Justin Trudeau 鈥 a well-worn question with a well-rehearsed answer: we share the same Liberal values, but I鈥檓 focused on the economy.
He walked a fine line, defending the legitimacy of Bills 21 and 96 while also championing the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and questioning the pre-emptive use of the notwithstanding clause.聽
Here鈥檚 what the Liberals, Conservatives and NDP have promised during the federal election campaign.
Here鈥檚 what the Liberals, Conservatives and NDP have promised during the federal election campaign.
He was reminded of his gaffe confusing the Polytechnique massacre with the Concordia shootings. Again, the answer was ready: I鈥檓 not perfect. I鈥檝e made mistakes.
Then came the only question that really matters on a show like this: What do you know about Quebec? Favourite cheese? For favourite artist, Carney answered: . And when Girard quizzed him on the name of the comedy group Lepage had once belonged to, Carney nailed it: . It wasn鈥檛 just a crowd-please 鈥 it helped offset earlier doubts and projected humility and curiosity. The panel 鈥 and the crowd 鈥 seemed genuinely impressed.
To Canadians outside Quebec, this kind of quiz might seem like a quirky 鈥 or even absurd 鈥 way to assess someone鈥檚 fitness to be prime minister, but in Quebec, it鈥檚 more like a cultural litmus test. Not unlike the one about his knowledge of Canada.
Quebecers will also be watching the English-language debate 鈥 perhaps even more closely, since it won鈥檛 be competing with hockey. In 2021, an English debate moderator鈥檚 reference to Quebec鈥檚 Bill 21 sparked backlash among voters who support the law. It gave Blanchet a golden opportunity to play defender of Quebec values.
Debates 鈥 especially this late in the game 鈥 rarely cause dramatic changes in party support. But they can reshape how voters see their leaders. And in a campaign where an ex-banker has been elevated as a figure of hope, that can still make all the difference.
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