Ahead of the general election, the leaders of the four major parties in Canada engaged in a heated exchange during a French-language television debate, with a strong confrontational atmosphere!

As the 2025 federal election intensifies, on Wednesday evening (April 16), the leaders of Canada's four major parties participated in a French-language TV debate in Montreal.

This was the first leader's debate of this election cycle. Liberal Party leader Mark Carney, Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre, Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet, and New Democratic Party leader Jagmeet Singh all attended the French language leadership debate. Green Party co-leader Jonathan Pedneault was originally scheduled to participate but was excluded at the last moment by the debate committee.

The debate covered a wide range of topics, from the U.S.-Canada trade war, housing crisis, environmental policies, energy pipeline construction, Gaza aid, to the unexpected topic of "strawberry consumption behavior." Party leaders engaged in sharp exchanges, with sparks flying and highlights aplenty.

Liberal Party Leader Mark Carney Leads in Polls, Becomes Target of Criticism

Although Liberal Party leader Mark Carney has only been in office for a short time, he remains ahead in polls, making him the target of criticism that night.

Bloc Québécois leader Blanchet was the first to attack, questioning Carney's lack of political experience when discussing how to handle the trade war with Trump, sarcastically remarking that Carney could only talk about "tax havens."

Blanchet quipped: "You say you will negotiate, maybe negotiating tax havens, but I haven't seen you sign any trade agreements" — implying Carney's previous experience at Brookfield Asset Management.

Minor Party Leaders Shout 'We Matter Too'! Strive to Be 'Kingmakers' in a Minority Government

In the face of the two-party dominance of the Liberals and Conservatives, New Democratic Party (NDP) leader Jagmeet Singh and Blanchet echoed each other's call for voters to support their party's candidates so as to play a key role in the next possible minority government.

Blanchet emphasized that if the Bloc Québécois gains more seats in the lower house, it can better defend Quebec's interests.

Singh, without reservation, retorted that the Bloc Québécois had accomplished nothing in the last minority government, jokingly saying: "In the past four years, you've acted like the British Royal Family—useless." He took the opportunity to challenge Carney, pressing whether he would end subsidies to oil and gas companies. Carney replied affirmatively, and Singh immediately declared "this is a victory for the NDP," but Carney quickly clarified that this was not a shift in position but an ongoing stance.

Housing Issue Explodes! Conservatives and Liberals Accuse Each Other of 'Building Failure'

On the issue most concerning to Canadians—the housing problem—Conservative Party leader Poilievre frequently attacked Carney, accusing him of "continuing the ineffective promises of the Trudeau government over the past ten years," stating that he only builds bureaucrats, not houses.

Carney responded: "I have just become the party leader." He indicated that he would introduce practical housing policies.

Singh then interjected, criticizing Poilievre for his dismal performance during his tenure handling housing issues under the Harper government, noting that "you built six houses that year." Poilievre countered by stating that 200,000 new homes were built nationwide that year.

But the truth is—they were both speaking out of turn: Singh cited specific figures from the federal non-profit housing projects in 2015; while Poilievre's claim referred to all private development projects, which cannot be directly attributed to government efforts.

Carney then joined the fray, accusing the Conservatives of having a "each person sweeps in front of their own door" housing policy.

Pipeline Dispute Escalates! Poilievre and Blanchet Clash Over Energy Sovereignty

Environmental and energy issues reignited tensions. The host repeatedly asked: If Indigenous peoples and some provinces oppose, would Poilievre still forcibly push for the construction of cross-provincial oil pipelines?

Facing sharp questions, Poilievre did not directly respond, only stating that "we should not continue the current situation."

Blanchet immediately mocked: "This is the emptiest response I've heard, nonsense!"

Poilievre counterattacked, stating that Canada must achieve "economic sovereignty" and "energy sovereignty" by having a national oil pipeline network.

However, when repeatedly asked by the host "what if some provinces or Indigenous peoples strongly oppose," he still vaguely responded, saying "it should be decided by the majority."

Where Did the Budget Go? All Four Party Leaders Fail to Deliver a Budget

The host pointed out that with just over a week left before the election and early voting already underway, the leaders of the four major parties had yet to release comprehensive financial budget plans.

"How do you plan to pay for your promises?" the host directly questioned.

Poilievre and Carney both stated they would soon disclose financial details, while Singh criticized them for making false promises and ultimately cutting services. Although the Bloc Québécois had released its platform, it did not attach a detailed expenditure list due to its lack of intent to govern.

Strawberries Spark Humorous Conclusion: 'American Product Boycott'

When discussing the impact of the U.S.-Canada trade war on consumers, the host suddenly asked the party leaders: What American products are you not buying now?

Blanchet was quick to respond, targeting Carney with a "strawberry kill": "I shop myself, and I buy Quebec strawberries," subtly mocking Carney for previously stating in an interview that he no longer buys groceries.

This time, Carney clearly prepared himself, responding that he no longer buys American wine and calmly remarked that since becoming prime minister, he has reached agreements with provinces to dismantle interprovincial trade barriers.

Singh also mentioned strawberries, along with apples.

When it was Poilievre's turn, he joked: "This topic is... a delicious conversation," prompting laughter throughout the room. He added that he mainly supports Canadian beef.

Poll: Liberal Party Leads by 5 Percentage Points

Currently, the federal election is entering its 26th day, and within the 36-day campaign period, the Liberal Party remains slightly ahead.

According to a three-day rolling poll by Nanos Research up to April 16, the Liberal Party's national support rate is 43.5%, leading the Conservative Party's 38.8%, with a gap of approximately 5 percentage points.

The New Democratic Party's support rate is 8.7%, the Bloc Québécois is 5.6%, the Green Party is 2.3%, and the People's Party is 0.9%.

When asked who Canadians most wanted to serve as prime minister, Carney led by 13 percentage points, with 47.4% choosing him, compared to 33.9% choosing Poilievre.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7494472164470424099/

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