Canadian Leaders Debates - 2011 Debates

2011 Debates

See also: Canadian federal election, 2011#Leaders' debates

Party leaders and participants
Stephen Harper, Conservative	Michael Ignatieff, Liberal
Gilles Duceppe, Bloc Québécois	Jack Layton, NDP

Two debates took place during the 2011 election. The English language debate was held on April 12, 2011 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. EDT, and was moderated by Steve Paikin. The French language debate was held on April 13 from 8:00 to 10:00 p.m. EDT and was co-moderated by Paul Larocque and Anne-Marie Dussault. Both were held at the Government Conference Centre in Ottawa. The original timing of the French debate, which after it was chosen became in conflict with a Montreal Canadiens Playoff hockey game, and as a result was moved ahead by one night. The four participants in both debates were Conservative leader and incumbent prime minister Stephen Harper, Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff, NDP leader Jack Layton, and Bloc Québécois leader Gilles Duceppe. Green Party leader Elizabeth May was excluded from the debate by the media consortium, as her party did not have representation in the House of Commons.

The English debate was best known for Layton's attack on Ignatieff for having the worst House of Commons attendance record of any of the party leaders. Layton said “You know, most Canadians, if they don’t show up for work, they don’t get a promotion." This quote has been compared to Brian Mulroney's “You had an option, sir — you could have said 'no.'” rebuttal to John Napier Turner.