The leaders of Canada’s four federal parties are set to hold their first face-to-face debate Thursday night in Toronto.
The two-hour encounter among Conservative Party leader Stephen Harper, New Democratic Party leader Tom Mulcair, Liberal Party leader Justin Trudeau, and Green Party leader Elizabeth May is being sponsored by Maclean’s magazine and is the first of many.
Mr. Mulcair and Mr. Trudeau will be making their leadership debate debuts. Both are seeking the same left-of-centre voters. Mr. Harper is expected to play to his base, focusing on the Tories’ handling of the economy and on security issues.
It’s unclear how many Canadians will be watching. The leaders will be competing for television time with the streaking Toronto Blue Jays who play Minnesota Thursday.
They might also lose viewers to those who love a circus. Ten politicians seeking the U.S. Republican Party’s presidential nomination are debating on the Fox News channel, which is sponsoring the event.
The Republican debate will put Donald Trump, the abrasive billionaire land developer and former Reality TV star, at centre stage. Polls show him as the Republican front runner.
Early Polls in Canada show the three main parties running neck-and-neck, each with about 30 per cent support.
Mr. Harper won a majority government in 2011 with just under 40 per cent of the vote–good enough to trump the combined 50 per cent won by NDP (31 per cent) and Liberals (19 per cent).
Prior to Sunday’s election call, the Conservatives held 159 seats in the 308-member House of Commons. They were followed by the NDP (95 seats) and the Liberals (36 seats). Fourteen seats were held by minor parties, including the Green Party’s one seat) and independents. Four seats were vacant.
Thirty new seats have been added in this year’s election.
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