The big loser from last night’s debate was the undecided Canadian voter.
It was a for this grueling 11-week battle as four leaders juggled a range of important topics under the steady hand of a superior moderator.
Yet unless swollen heads and inflated egos get out of the way, it could be the last one of its kind in Election 2015.
Nobody with a real life could watch last night. They’re spending peak vacation time in cottages, cabins or campgrounds which don’t have the connection to watch a cable showdown not broadcast on the major networks. And it’s unlikely they’d have high-speed internet in the woods or on the dock to stream it.
But unless the participation conditions imposed by Tom Mulcair and Stephen Harper change, this week’s debate will be the only four-way, multi-topic, English-language debate.
The that his Conservative rival must be there and every English debate must be matched by a French language version or he won’t show.
And the Conservative leader has ruled out any major network appearance for no apparent reason beyond his notorious intransigence.
Ironically, they were the weakest performers last night and are most in need of a second chance to wow voters.
The NDP frontrunner in some polls had a slow start. Little of his spontaneous House of Commons debating flair was on display. Fearful of showing any hint of anger, he hit the stage with an unsettling grin and body language rigor mortis. He can do a lot better in style and substance.
Harper appeared flatly uninspired and, while his loyal base will howl approval with its usual lapdog enthusiasm, it wasn’t enough to dazzle the new support he needs to reclaim a majority mandate. While I’m declaring a CTV conflict of interest here, he needs to appear on the network debates.
As for Justin Trudeau, well, if your rivals frame your success as showing up with your pants on, the Liberal leader did surprisingly well notwithstanding he was a bit too chippy with the interruptions at times. He’ll likely get a lot of second looks from undecided viewers in the future debates he vows to attend.
Green Party Leader Elizabeth May, as always, was solid, articulate and excelled on files beyond her environmental platform.
Still, it’s worth emphasizing that there are crucial election choices which could define Canada for years, if not decades, to come.
To make the right choice, Canadians need more all-leader multi-topic showdowns when they are paying attention. And on that point, there is no debate.
