The first French-language leaders’ debate of the 2025 Canadian election saw prime minister Mark Carney and conservative leader Pierre Poilievre face off over the pressing issue of how best to deal with US president Donald Trump.
Carney, who took over the Liberal party leadership in March, countered Poilievre’s claims about the need for change, by arguing that the central question of the upcoming election was who could best handle Trump, in the face of Trump’s aggressive tactics, including his trade war and his threats to make Canada the 51st state.
Poilievre, in his criticism of Carney’s leadership, argued that the Liberals had been in power too long and that Carney, much like his predecessor Justin Trudeau, represented continuity rather than change.
Responding to this, Carney said, “Mr Poilievre is not Justin Trudeau. I’m not Justin Trudeau either. In this election the question is who is going to face Mr Trump.”
When asked about Justin Trudeau during a news conference after the debate, Mark Carney said one key difference between them is his stronger focus on the economy. “There are many differences, but one of them is that I place much more emphasis on growing the economy,” he said.
Trump’s threat has led to a rise in Canadian nationalism, which has given Carney’s Liberal party a boost in the polls ahead of the 28 April vote. The poll shift shows a clear change from earlier in the year, where the Conservatives held a significant lead. In January, a Nanos poll showed the Liberals trailing by 47% to 20%, but the most recent poll indicates that the Liberals now lead by 8 percentage points.
The debate, held in Montreal—Canada’s second-largest city—was strategically important, as the French-speaking province of Quebec has 78 seats in the 343-seat House of Commons.
The debate was moved up by two hours to avoid a scheduling conflict with a Montreal Canadiens hockey game, a sign of the cultural importance of the sport in Canada. The decision was reminiscent of the 2011 election when a similar request was made due to the same team’s playoff schedule.
The English-language debate, scheduled for Thursday evening, will further clarify the stance of each leader as Canadians prepare to vote in one of the most consequential elections in recent years.
