French Debate

[August1991]

I actually watched a good portion of the French debate (hey! somebody had to do it!) and I'll agree with other comentators that Harper was the target of both Duceppe and Martin. It was rather odd to see.

I thought Harper lost points on the marijuana issue. (But while I listened to the other three talk about being tough on big producers yet forgiving the ordinary users, I thought - isn't that like saying it's legal to drive a car but it's illegal to make or import them? Huh?)

I never heard Harper say that he would respect the Constitution and provincial rights. That was a mistake I think. Such a statement would go far in reassuring people in Quebec.

(To put a spin on this, imagine three Duceppe clones are debating in English with one Ralph Klein. Who are you going to vote for? Understand? Now imagine that one of the Duceppe clones says in fractured English that he'll respect Alberta's jurisdictional sovereignty over mineral rights.)

Harper even got in a joke in French. When Martin accused Harper of saying one thing in English but something else in French, Harper corrected him and then added: "Not only do I say the same in English and French but I also say the same thing from one day to the next."

After the debate, R-C had a roundtable with, among others, Luc Lavoie - former Mulroney staffer. Lavoie made a good comment about debates. Speaking about the English debates and watching it with his older daughters, he said that he had to explain many technical terms. Most people, he said, look at the demeanour of candidates and judge them this way. Harper appeared comfortable in the debate (and following Lavoie's idea, Harper's to blame if the campaign has been about substance).

You can read a funny blow-by-blow description at Andrew Coyne.

You'll have to tolerate Coyne's dislike for the separate language debate format and his disdain for any reference to a "fiscal imbalance". Coyne, like too many on the right in general, simply don't understand what a collective is. To put this in practical terms, if we had a single debate switching between languages, even fewer people would turn in to watch.

[kimmy]

(To put a spin on this, imagine three Duceppe clones are debating in English with one Ralph Klein. Who are you going to vote for? Understand? Now imagine that one of the Duceppe clones says in fractured English that he'll respect Alberta's jurisdictional sovereignty over mineral rights.)

That's an interesting analogy. Does the Quebec audience see Martin, Harper, and Layton as "clones" and Duceppe as "their guy"?

Overall, how do you feel Harper handled being a target in the french debate, whereas in previous french debates he's been an afterthought? Do you feel Harper's performance will hurt or help the Conservatives' apparent growth in Quebec support, or no effect?

I'd have liked to have watched, but my french is so poor that about all I can understand is the gist of a hockey-broadcast or one of those adult movies that TQS Hull used to air on Saturday night.

-k

addendum: I enjoyed Coyne's blow by blow, but Kinsella's recap of the English debate had me laughing out loud.

9:12 - Dithers™ reminds everyone he was Finance Minister, reminding everyone how the Peter Principle® applies to him.

9:40 - Steve Paikin would be a serious contender for Prime Minister, I believe, were it not for the fact that he resembles a human-sized Q-Tip.

addendum addendum: (Steve Paikin? for some reason I thought that the moderator was one of those fruits from Kids In The Hall. go figure. -k)

[CoachCartman]

Laugh of the night is on Layton. According to his opening remarks NDP supporters can vote for him in 30 days.

Harper was calm and cool. Did an exellent job.

Most interesting thing of the night was the post round table when Mike Duffy totally lost it on the Liberal. To bad they cut that short.

[August1991]

Does the Quebec audience see Martin, Harper, and Layton as "clones" and Duceppe as "their guy"?

I think Duceppe was the one guy who was clearly understood. For people who want an independant Quebec, the choice is clear. For others, the choice is really a toss-up - hence the reference to clones. I would not be surprised if more people in Alberta could identify Duceppe in a police line-up than people in Quebec could identify, say, Layton or Harper.

Overall, how do you feel Harper handled being a target in the french debate, whereas in previous french debates he's been an afterthought? Do you feel Harper's performance will hurt or help the Conservatives' apparent growth in Quebec support, or no effect?

I think this provides the best answer:

On CTV Newsnet's Mike Duffy Live, former Parti Quebecois cabinet minister Joseph Facal said Tuesday: "I don't think he (Harper) has the ground strength to fully capitalize on his momentum."

The Conservative growth is mainly coming outside Montreal at the expense of the Liberals.

In Montreal, the Liberals have held steady in the 27 to 29 per cent range over the course of the campaign, while the Conservatives have increased their support to 11 per cent.

However, in the rest of Quebec, the Liberals have fallen to 13 per cent, while the Conservatives have jumped to 25 per cent.

CTV (BTW, Joseph Facal is a smart guy.)

addendum addendum: (Steve Paikin? for some reason I thought that the moderator was one of those fruits from Kids In The Hall. go figure. -k)

I agree. I don't know who Steve Paikin is but I thought he was a bit too chirpy as a moderator. He at least invited the candidates to debate however whereas the French moderator seemed to be going through the motions and looking at her watch. (It is so easy to sit comfortably at home and criticize others in the arena.)

[seabee]

A poll of 1534 people in Québec asking who won last night's debate in French:

Duceppe: 48%

Harper: 20%

Martin: 10%

Layton: 9%

How this will translate in seats is another thing.

link: Cyberpresse

[newbie]

addendum addendum: (Steve Paikin? for some reason I thought that the moderator was one of those fruits from Kids In The Hall. go figure. -k)

I agree. I don't know who Steve Paikin is but I thought he was a bit too chirpy as a moderator. He at least invited the candidates to debate however whereas the French moderator seemed to be going through the motions and looking at her watch.

Good grief. Now they make fun of the moderators.

[tml12]

A poll of 1534 people in Québec asking who won last night's debate in French:

Duceppe: 48%

Harper: 20%

Martin: 10%

Layton: 9%

How this will translate in seats is another thing.

link: Cyberpresse

I was out last night but those results do not surprise me...

[Biblio Bibuli]

Harper was calm and cool. Did an exellent job.

I would be calm and cool too if all I had to do was say "I didn't know you were going to ask me that question" everytime I didn't have a good answer.

Why is he being treated with kid gloves?