UPEI Political Science Professor Don Desserud. (submitted)
A Political Science Professor at UPEI says the format of last night’s debate was difficult, but under the circumstances, the leaders handled it well.
He admits though with six leaders, it was a very busy discussion.
Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau, Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, Green Party Leader Elizabeth May, Peoples Party of Canada Leader Maxime Bernier and Bloc-Quebecois Leader Yves-François Blanchet all participated in the English debate last night
Don Desserud says his expectation going in, were low, and it was easy for the debate to exceed those expectations, “You’re looking for that one defining moment that tells you something that you didn’t know about the leader or that impresses you. I don’t think that anyone really got to that moment. But, if I had to choose one, I thought the NDP Leader Mr Singh probably formed the best.”
He adds there were some moments of humour, which he found refreshing, and there was the odd compliment, but that often ended up being a backhanded remark.
Desserud says the debate actually sounded rehearsed, “They practiced their zingers and they tried to find a place where they could come up and say things and it sounded canned. The NDP Leader and Bloc Quebecois Leaders sounded more sincere. They sounded like they were speaking to use, instead of everything being memorized.”
Desserud says debates with six leaders can even be compared to a hockey game,”It is a rough analogy, but if you re going to watch a game, you need to expect that there is going to be rough stuff in the corner and the sticks that are going to get up and maybe even a fight. It is the nature of the game. You’re pitting people against each other and you’re asking them to attack each other on personal issues.”
A second debate in French will be held on Thursday night.
