Could the French-language federal leaders’ debate be postponed? That’s a question the leader of the Bloc Quebecois is asking as the Montreal Canadiens are set to take their shot for a playoff spot that same day.
The Canadiens are set for a puck drop against the Carolina Hurricanes at 7 p.m. Eastern on Wednesday, with the French-language debate set for an hour later at 8 p.m.
On Tuesday, Bloc Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet suggested he’d like to see the day of the debate changed so Canadians won’t have to choose between watching the debate and watching the game.
“If the date can be changed, let’s do that,” he said at a press conference. “I will, of course, make myself available at any moment. We’ll look into that.”
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh on Tuesday called on the debates commission to reconsider the timing, saying the game is the Canadiens’ “third and final chance to clinch a playoff spot.”
“We’re asking people — especially in Quebec — to choose between a critical democratic debate and cheering on the Habs in a must-win game,” Singh said in a press release.
“This scheduling conflict makes the political system look out of touch and is going to have a serious impact on who tunes in to the only French debate of the campaign.”
Liberal Leader Mark Carney was also asked about the Canadiens’ game and said he plans to focus on addressing those who do watch the debate.
“I’m going to concentrate on neither attack nor defence,” he said. “But I will focus on transparency to inform those Canadians who choose to watch the debate instead of the Habs game and we’ll leave it to the Habs to decide the right combination of attack and defence over the course of le Grand Match.”
The Green Party said: “Though Canadians love a good hockey game, we think they will prioritize the debate. There’s too much at stake in this election. Jonathan Pedneault looks forward to debating tomorrow evening … .and checking by how goals the Habs beat Carolina after the debate is done.”
Global News reached out to the Conservative Party for their views, but did not hear back by publication.
If a delay were permitted, it wouldn’t be the first time.
In 2011, a Montreal Canadiens game postponed the French-language debate during that election campaign after the Bloc made a request to the network consortium that runs the debates.
At the time, the consortium agreed saying all parties had agreed to postpone the face off in favour of the opening game of the playoff series between the Canadiens and Boston Bruins.
When told about that, Blanchet said he was not aware of the demand by then-leader Gilles Duceppe.
“I would like anybody else to watch the game,” he said. “But now I believe that some questions are very serious about Canada’s future and Quebec’s future and maybe some attention should be given to the debate.”
—with files from Reuters