No Quebec English leaders’ debate before provincial election as 2 parties decline invite

There will not be an English-language debate before the upcoming Quebec provincial election, after two of the main parties declined an invitation from the Quebec English news media consortium.

The consortium comprises CBC Quebec, CTV News Montreal, CJAD 800, Global Montreal, CityNews Montreal and The Gazette.

The consortium invited the leaders of the five main Quebec political parties to a 90-minute English-language debate on Sept. 24. 

While the Conservative Party of Quebec and Québec Solidaire accepted, the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) and Parti Québécois (PQ) declined. A spokesperson for the Quebec Liberal Party told the consortium the party would only participate in a debate if all five participated, as was the case for their participation in the French-language debates.

When declining the invitation, the PQ outlined that the increasing number of debates and meetings obligate them “to make decisions to dedicate an important part of the campaign on the ground.”

The CAQ also said they would have to decline the invitation for the debate after analyzing the party’s campaign schedule. A spokesperson thanked the consortium for the “deployed efforts to favour democratic exchanges.” 

The main party leaders will be facing off in three French-language debates organized by Radio-Canada, TVA, Noovo and Crave.

Radio-Canada’s French-language debate will take place Sept. 23 at 8 p.m., in addition to another exchange with the five leaders two weeks before, on Sept. 9 at 8 p.m. 

In 2018, former premier François Legault and other provincial party leaders participated in a live, televised English-language debate — a first in Quebec’s history. 

In 2022, the English leaders’ debate was called off after Legault and the PQ refused to participate.

The only other English provincial leaders’ debate in Quebec took place in 1985. It was a radio-only affair featuring Liberal Leader Robert Bourassa and PQ Leader Pierre-Marc Johnson.