Debate reaction from home: Follow our Manitoba political live chat

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 06/08/2015 (3745 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Just five days into this lengthy election campaign, Canadians who aren’t sipping beers in their Muskoka chairs or getting maudlin over Jon Stewart’s last episode of the Daily Show will get a very early chance to see the people vying to be Prime Minister face off tonight.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper, NDP Leader Tom Mulcair, Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau and Green Party Leader Elizabeth May will all participate in the first of several national leaders’ debates that will take place before Oct. 19.

Debates are usually not make-or-break events for campaigns but they can have an impact. These leaders face each other often in the House of Commons but a debate is a different animal.

All of them have been practicing for days. Trudeau has reportedly been participating in mock debates for months.

The viewership for the debate is still uncertain. Unlike previous elections, where the only national leaders debates which took place were organized by the Broadcast Consortium, aired nationally and aired much closer to voting day, this first debate is being hosted by Macleans and Rogers Media and won’t be aired on any of the big three national networks.

It will also be fighting the last episode of The Daily Show, the fact that it’s early August and sadly for Canadian democracy, even coverage of the first Republican debate in the U.S. which also takes place tonight.

The Free Press will have a team of reporters, columnists and pundits chatting live about on this page.

Here’s a quick primer for you of things to look for with each leader:

1. Stephen Harper

As the prime minister Harper has the biggest advantage to seem prime ministerial. It’s pretty easy to look like a prime minister when you are one. He also has the most experience at doing these. Only Elizabeth May has done a national debate before. Harper has done at least eight. But Harper will be the subject of the majority of the attacks, and will have to remain cool under pressure, not give in to the urge to be condescending particularly to Trudeau, and defend almost a 10-year record of governance.

Don’t expect him to refer to Trudeau as “Justin” as he did earlier this week.

What he has to do: Hold his ground and live up to the Conservative message that experience is the way to go.

Biggest challenge: Try not to look too mean.

2. Tom Mulcair

He is considered the king of question period (even Conservatives will admit Mulcair is the toughest question period opponent they have faced) for his Matlock-esque performances particularly around the Senate spending scandal. But tonight is not just about being the prosecutor. He will be the the prosecuted as well and expectations are through the roof for his ability to win the debate. Mulcair can be snappish at times when pushed, and he will have to fight the urge to play Angry Tom tonight. For many Canadians this will be the first real chance to get to know Mulcair. (The number one question Googled about him in the last two months was “Who is Tom Mulcair.”)

What he has to do: Introduce himself. Look like the best alternative to Harper. Convince people he is prime minister material.

Biggest challenge: Not get angry. Meet extremely high expectations for his ability as a debater.

3. Justin Trudeau

If expectations on Mulcair are sky high, expectations on Trudeau are pretty much in the basement. In fact they are so low, Conservative Party spokesman Kory Teneycke suggested Trudeau will exceed them if he “comes on stage with his pants on.” The comment was both mean-spirited and clever – the Conservatives know low expectations are actually Trudeau’s biggest asset in these debates and want to do something that will try and cut into any upswing Trudeau may get. Canadians know trudeau and many of them like him. They just aren’t entirely sure they want to vote for him. This debate could help prove he can play in the big leagues.

Winnipeg Free Press | Newsletter

Election Extra

During Elections

Get campaign news, insight, analysis and commentary delivered to your inbox during civic, provincial and federal elections.

Sign up for Election Extra

Sign Up

I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

What he has to do:. Look mature and intelligent and show he has a better grasp on the issues than his opponents want you to think.

Biggest challenge: Not give in to whims and tendencies to say off the cuff remarks that can easily be spun against him.

4. Elizabeth May

This might be Elizabeth May’s only chance to be on stage with all three of the other party leaders and she will want to make the most of it. Most Canadians don’t view the Green party on the same level as the other three national parties and May has been fighting against that notion for years. She has experience in a debate but she will still have to fight to be heard even when they others aren’t speaking.

What she has to do: Be relevant.

Biggest challenge: She has a tendency to be long-winded. She needs to be briefer and more targeted in her comments.

Here's what election-related material Canadians are talking about on Twitter