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The leaders debate: Did you learn anything new about the people or the issues?

The leaders square off: What a different way to start an federal election campaign. What's your reaction? Did you learn anything new? Did it change your mind? Join Suhana Meharchand, Sunday on CBC Radio One.
CBC Radio ·
Liberal leader Justin Trudeau, Green leader Elizabeth May, NDP leader Thomas Mulcair, and Conservative Leader Stephen Harper speaks during the Maclean's National Leaders' Debate August 6, 2015. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press)
Cross Country Checkup1:52:42August 9, 2015 - Leaders Debate

The leaders square off: What a different way to start an federal election campaign. What's your reaction?
Did you learn anything new about the people, or the issues? Did it change your mind?


Join Suhana Meharchand, Sunday on CBC Radio One and SiriusXM, live simultaneously through 6 time zones.

GUESTS
TWITTER & EMAIL
DOWNLOAD MP3 (right click, choose 'Save Target/Link As')

INTRODUCTION

In politics there is no event more anticipated and scrutinized than a leaders' debate during an election campaign. It's not just the ideas put forward by the leaders but the words they speak and the way they use them the tone, their body language, the direction in which they look, and how they use their hands are all dissected and discussed much like the entrails of a sacrificial animal during ancient times.

The debate this past week was no different and coming right at the beginning of the campaign makes it more of a challenge to divine its real significance.  We've heard all week from the pundits, and we'll hear from some this afternoon but this is also your chance to weigh-in.

What do you think?  Was it a good way to start the campaign?  Did you learn anything new about the leaders or their party policies?  Did it change your mind on anything?

One thing that makes a leaders' debate significant is that it's the one time all leaders appear as equals and respond to questions posed by the moderator and by each other. It's also a chance for them to respond to criticism, make their case, and communicate directly with the people.  For this reason alone it's something they take very seriously and spend many hours in rehearsal and preparation for the event.

Stephen Harper, Thomas Mulcair, Justin Trudeau, and Elizabeth May each went into the debate -- after all the preps -- with a specific plan and a set of objectives.  And you can be sure there wasn't much harmony among their aims.  What do you think their aims were and how do you think they achieved them in those two hours last Thursday night?  What about the ideas raised during the debate beyond the jostling for position there are also serious issues of public policy up for debate.  Did you hear anything important that night?

Our topic today: "The leaders debate: Did you learn anything new about the people or the issues?  Did it change your mind?"

I'm Suhana Meharchand ...on CBC Radio One ...and on Sirius XM, satellite radio channel 169 ...this is Cross Country Checkup.

GUESTS

Margo Goodhand
Editor-in-Chief, Edmonton Journal in Edmonton
Twitter: @margogoodhand
 

Thomas Walkom
Toronto Star's national affairs columnist and writes on the political economy. 
Twitter: @TomWalkom
 

David McLaughlin
Political commentator, University of Waterloo, strategic advisor on sustainability in the Faculty of Environment and former chief of staff to Brian Mulroney. 
Twitter: @DavidMcLA
 

Jennifer Robson
Assistant professor at Carleton University in public policy and political management.
Twitter: @JenniferRobson8 
 

LINKS

CBC.ca

Macleans


National Post


Globe and Mail

TWITTER & EMAIL

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