TORONTO -- The official French-language debate on Wednesday pitted federal party leaders against one another in Quebec where 68 seats are up for grabs.

The election front-runners, Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau and Conservative Leader Erin O鈥橳oole, received the brunt of the barbs but there was no clear winner, said one political scientist.

鈥淪ome performed better than others. There was a lot of fire against the front-runners, Mr. O'Toole and Mr. Trudeau, very much on the defensive. Interestingly, so was [Bloc Leader] Yves-Francois Blanchet,鈥� Lori Williams, a political science professor at Mount Royal University, told 麻豆传媒 Channel on Thursday.

This left NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and Green Party Leader Annamie Paul to show voters what they stand for.

鈥淚 would say that [Singh] and Annamie Paul probably came out a little less battered,鈥� she said.

But Quebec was the hot topic Wednesday night, with Trudeau and Blanchet exchanging barbs over who could best represent the province.

Blanchet went after Trudeau, saying the Liberal leader was 鈥渋mposing鈥� his views on Quebec. Trudeau was quick to remind Blanchet that he鈥檚 from the province, telling his opponent: 鈥淵ou do not have a monopoly over Quebec.鈥�

鈥淚 think Blanchet really gave Mr. Trudeau an opportunity to be emphatic about his status as a Quebecer, and the fact that, indeed, Blanchet is not the only person to represent the province,鈥� Lori Turnbull, director of the School of Public Administration at Dalhousie University, told CTV鈥檚 Your Morning on Thursday.

Trudeau is Blanchet鈥檚 鈥渒ey adversary鈥� in Quebec, she added.

The Green Party leader meanwhile, surprised some analysts in Quebec who weren鈥檛 aware of her French skills.

鈥淧aul really surprised some senior commentators here in Quebec going, 鈥業 didn't know she spoke nearly perfect French,鈥� because she speaks nearly perfect French and she had good ideas and she moved in well on childcare,鈥� 麻豆传媒 political analyst and former NDP leader Tom Mulcair told 麻豆传媒 Channel on Thursday.

For Mulcair, Trudeau came off well in the debate, offering himself as a good voting option to francophones outside of Quebec.

鈥淗e spoke to them directly saying that it's not Mr. O'Toole who's going to stand up to people like Doug Ford and Blaine Higgs, and it was very well crafted,鈥� said Mulcair.

But O鈥橳oole could potentially see a flood of Quebecers vote Conservative if the polls continue to show him ahead of Trudeau, he added.

鈥淚f it appears that O鈥橳oole鈥檚 on the cusp of performing even a minority government, you'll see a massive movement of Quebec votes towards the Conservatives. That hasn't happened yet.鈥� 

WHAT TO EXPECT AT THE ENGLISH-LANGUAGE DEBATE

Thursday鈥檚 English-language debate will cover five topics: affordability, climate, COVID-19 recovery, leadership and accountability and reconciliation.

With so much ground to cover, analysts are watching to see how the federal party leaders aim to win over English-speaking voters.

鈥淚'll be very interested to see if Mr. Singh his attacks to focus more evenly on Mr. O鈥橳oole and Mr. Trudeau,鈥� said Williams.

She also expects to see more challenging of the feasibility of the party platforms and their costs.

鈥淭rudeau is going to keep the kind of tone and the seriousness and the kind of intensity that he's kept over the last couple of debates, he's going to keep that tonight,鈥� said Turnbull.

O鈥橳oole, she added, is going to have to take a stand on some topics and present himself to Canadian voters as a prime minister.

For Mulcair, Thursday鈥檚 debate will be a good opportunity for Paul to gain traction in Quebec if she comes out against Quebec鈥檚 discriminatory bills, such as Bill 21 and Bill 96, he said.

鈥淪he has everything to gain since she's not going to lose anything in Quebec, she's got nothing in Quebec,鈥� he said.

He added that the official English-language debate could decide the election. His eyes are on Toronto鈥檚 seats and who snaps them up come Sept. 20.

鈥淚鈥檓 watching for more fireworks and it is the debate that will decide this election, I'm convinced of that,鈥� he said.