Canada's four main political leaders faced off in a two-hour televised debate Thursday night, the first of the 2015 federal election campaign.
1. Green party Leader Elizabeth May delivered a fiery shot at Prime Minister Stephen Harper: “You sold us down the river in Asia.”
2. She also aggressively pursued NDP Leader Tom Mulcair over his position on the Kinder-Morgan pipeline. She demanded he say definitively whether he opposes it.
May is putting the HEAT on Mulcair for pipelines. Battle for the BC vote is escalating. #macdebate #cdnpoli
Mulcair responded by citing examples that showed the pipeline approval process in Canada is broken. He said his party would restore objectivity to the process.
3. Harper effectively withstood economic criticisms from all three of his opponents. They cited his Conservative government's repeated budget deficits and signs from banks that the country is teetering toward recession.
4. "What's your number?" Mulcair cheekily asked Trudeau during an exchange about separatism, demanding the Liberal leader state how many votes he thinks are required to split up the country.
Trudeau responded:
“You want a number? I’ll give you a a number. Nine!” That actually just happened. #macdebate
(Nine is the number of Supreme Court justices who ruled the country could not be broken up based on a sole referendum.)
Mulcair accused Trudeau of being the only person, aside from Bloc Québecois Leader Gilles Duceppe, thinking about separatism.
For his part, Harper said virtually nobody in Canada is thinking about separatism anymore.
5. Despite — somewhat surprisingly — coming out strong on national security, Trudeau admitted his support for the Tories' controversial Bill C-51 was perhaps "naïve."
Trudeau’s “perhaps I was naive” line on trying to take a nuanced position, reminds me of the “I care too much” answer in job interviews.
6. But, overall, his sass game was strong. He repeatedly told Harper, "Nobody believes you."
7. Trudeau also accused “this government, that likes to wrap itself in the flag,” of mistreating veterans.
8. Basically, ✋🏼
This joins that Paul Dewar facepalm in the #cdnpoli GIF kit. #macdebate
9. Mulcair seemed highly chill at times, but unleashed his own sass when the whole Senate thing came up.
10. Moderator Paul Wells asked a tough question on the same topic: Will the prime minister apologize for appointing many of the Senators who now find themselves in hot water?
11. He also said:
Stephen Harper on the senate scandal #elxn42 #cdnpoli http://t.co/Krsq0ImAVG
12. Harper admitted to ordering the Senate to kill a bill on carbon limits that passed in the House of Commons.
I’m truly surprised Harper would admit he “asked” Senators to kill a bill passed by the House. #macdebate
13. Mulcair came hard at Harper over his government's alleged anti-Islam messaging (without actually using the word) by citing a Conservative backbencher's comments on Muslim women.
Mulcair dredges up: "Muslim women should go the hell back to where they came from." "Mr. Harper is about to sign his nomination papers."
Harper denied targeting Muslims, saying it was "absolutely" not the case, He said his government was simply trying to prevent terrorist attacks like the one that took place Oct. 22 in Ottawa and in St-Jean-sur-Richelieu.
14. Lastly, Trudeau's attempt at a long pause to cap off his closing statement backfired when Wells cut the former drama teacher off, thinking he was done.
15. Paul Wells = Kanye
Yes, they argued hard. But look at all those smiles at the end.
Bisous, even!