How to rewatch the leaders' debates for election 2021
Five main party leaders debated the issues that matter most to voters
On Sept. 9, five federal party leaders faced off in an English-language debate. The same leaders participated in a French-language debate the previous day.
Participants included:
- Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau.
- Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole.
- NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh.
- Green Party Leader Annamie Paul.
- Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet.
Themes
The leaders debated five themes:
- Affordability.
- Climate.
- COVID-19 recovery.
- Leadership and accountability.
- Reconciliation.
The leaders were asked questions crafted by the journalists participating in the debate, based on concerns submitted by Canadians. A public call-out by the broadcast partners brought 20,201 English-language responses.
Where
Both events were held at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Que., overlooking Parliament Hill.
How to watch or listen
The debates were produced and distributed by the media outlets that make up the Debate Broadcast Group (CBC News and Radio-Canada, APTN News, CTV News, Global News, L'actualité, Les coops de l'information, Le Devoir, Noovo Info and La Presse), with additional distribution from other partners.
- STORY | Leaders of main federal parties brace for the election's first and only English debate.
- Compare the party platforms and see where the parties stand on the issues important to you.
This page will be updated with links to streams to rewatch the debates, as they become available.
English debate
The English debate was held on Sept. 9 from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET.
You can re-watch the entire English debate, including translations in Denesuline, Inuktitut and Plains Cree (y) on CBC Gem and also on YouTube.
To read about and watch key moments from the English leaders' debate, follow this link.
You can read more about a fractious debate that saw leaders trade blows over climate change, cost of living
Social Sharing, click here.
French debate
You can re-watch the entire French debate in English, including translations in East Cree, Innu and Ojibway on CBC Gem and also on YouTube. You can also re-watch it in French on tou.tv or on YouTube.
To read about and watch key moments from the French leaders' debate, follow this link.
Moderators
Shachi Kurl, president of the Angus Reid Institute, moderated the English event, along with participation from CBC chief political correspondent Rosemary Barton and Melissa Ridgen of APTN News, Evan Solomon of CTV News and Mercedes Stephenson of Global News.
Patrice Roy of Radio-Canada moderated the French event and journalists Hélène Buzzetti of Les coops de l'information, Guillaume Bourgault-Côté of L'actualité, Paul Journet of La Presse, Le Devoir's Marie Vastel and Noémi Mercier of Noovo Info also participated.
The journalists came from each of the media organizations in the Debate Broadcast Group and have deep experience covering political news.
- Find out who's ahead in the latest polls with our Poll Tracker.
- Use Vote Compass to compare the party platforms with your views.
How the debate producer was chosen
The Debate Broadcast Group was selected to produce the events by the Leaders' Debates Commission, the independent agency tasked with setting up two debates per election campaign.
To participate in the debates, parties must meet at least one of three of the following requirements set by the commission:
- They must be represented in the House of Commons by at least one MP initially elected under the party banner.
- They must have won at least four per cent of the national vote in the 2019 election.
- They must show they draw at least four per cent of the national vote five days after the election is called, as demonstrated by public polling.