Conservatives hold French-language leadership debate in Quebec City

The third debate of the Conservative leadership campaign, and the only official debate to be held entirely in French, is taking place in Quebec City tonight and might prove to be a serious challenge to the French-language skills of some of the 13 contestants taking part.

CBCNews.ca is carrying the French-language debate live, without translation, starting at 6:30 p.m. ET.

Though a few of the Conservative leadership candidates are fluently bilingual — and two of the candidates, Maxime Bernier and Steven Blaney, are francophone MPs from Quebec — about half of the anglophone contestants who participated in the previous bilingual debate in Moncton in December struggled in their second language.

This debate is also candidates’ last opportunity to make their mark with party members before the entry into the race of Kevin O’Leary, which CBC News has learned will happen on Wednesday.

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Leadership rival Andrew Scheer had called for O’Leary to get into the race before the French-language debate. But O’Leary, who speaks little French, recently put out a statement saying that “out of respect for Quebec and French-Canadians, I feel it makes more sense to abstain from the French debate until I am more proficient.”

Opening statements focus on importance of French language

The crowd was clearly partial to the two local candidates — the loudest applause came when Bernier and Blaney were introduced, while polite applause greeted the 11 other non-Quebec contestants.

Trying to connect with Quebecers was a common theme in many of the candidates’ opening statements, which emphasized the importance of the French language and each candidate’s connection with Quebec.

Leadership candidate Steven Blaney, right, speaks during the Conservative Party French language leadership debate, Tuesday, January 17, 2017 in Quebec City. Lisa Raitt, centre, looks on. (Jacques Boissinot/Canadian Press)

Michael Chong, who had resigned from Stephen Harper’s cabinet in 2006 over the Conservative government’s Quebec nation motion, promised to “defend the French fact in North America,” while Kellie Leitch laid out how she was taking French-language classes and hoped to improve.

Blaney also took the opportunity to congratulate his rivals on the efforts being made to speak French.

Bernier the early target of attacks

Many of the candidates used their 30-second rebuttals early, with Leitch and Blaney both going after Bernier for his position on ending corporate welfare, something they argued Bernier had given out when he was a cabinet minister.

Leitch called Bernier a “liar and an impostor.”

Both Blaney and Pierre Lemieux also went after Bernier on his pledge to end supply management. Bernier riposted by saying supply management was defended by a powerful interest group, but that he was looking out for the interests of Canadians.

Erin O’Toole then deplored the attacks happening among Conservatives — as he has already done in this campaign — a position that was seconded by Chong.

50 seconds or less

The debate is being moderated by Pascale Déry, a former journalist and news anchor who ran unsuccessfully under the Conservative banner in the last election.

Each candidate will make a 30-second opening statement in an order that was set by a random draw. Candidates will then have a chance to answer every question in 50 seconds or less.

The question topics are “government and taxes” and “national security and defence.” Four questions will also be asked by Conservative Party supporters, and candidates will have the opportunity to make two 30-second rebuttals.

Here are the participating candidates in order of podium position and opening remarks:

• Chris Alexander.
• Deepak Obhrai.
• Michael Chong.
• Erin O’Toole.
• Kellie Leitch.
• Andrew Scheer.
• Pierre Lemieux.
• Maxime Bernier.
• Lisa Raitt.
• Steven Blaney.
• Rick Peterson.
• Brad Trost.
• Andrew Saxton.

The winner of the Conservative leadership vote will be announced on May 27.

Article source: http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/french-debate-conservative-leadership-1.3939492?cmp=rss