7 notable moments from the French leaders’ debate

In the first of two debates between federal leaders, things got heated as Liberal Leader Mark Carney, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet, and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh faced off in Montreal. The leaders discussed a wide range of topics, from the U.S. trade war to housing to the environment, and even strawberries.

Blanchet wasted no time taking a jab at Carney, highlighting the Liberal leader’s lack of political experience and questioning his ability to negotiate trade agreements. The discussion quickly turned to the possibility of a minority government, with both the Bloc and NDP leaders advocating for more of their candidates to be elected in order to have more influence in the governing party.

Poilievre criticized Carney’s housing record, accusing the Liberals of failing to address the housing crisis. Singh, in turn, targeted Poilievre’s own record on housing during his time in Stephen Harper’s cabinet. The debate became heated as Singh and Poilievre exchanged barbs over the number of homes built during Poilievre’s tenure.

The environment and pipeline projects also sparked a fiery debate between Poilievre and Blanchet. Poilievre advocated for economic and energy sovereignty, pushing for pipeline projects across Canada. Meanwhile, Blanchet criticized Poilievre’s approach, calling it “nonsense.”

International aid became a point of contention as Poilievre vowed to cut funding to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, accusing the organization of supporting terrorists. Singh called Poilievre’s comments “disgusting” and defended the importance of aid to Gaza.

One of the lighter moments of the debate came when the leaders were asked which U.S. products they have stopped buying to support Canadian industry. Blanchet mentioned buying Quebec strawberries, while Carney stumbled over his response, stating that as prime minister, he no longer buys his own food.

Despite the heated exchanges and differing opinions, one thing was clear: none of the leaders have released a costed platform, leaving voters in the dark about how they plan to pay for their promises. With advance polling starting soon and election day looming, the pressure is on for the leaders to provide a clear plan for the future.