Leaders debates

[jo]

As you may know, Harper challenged Ignatieff to a one-on-one debate, Ignatieff accepted with an "any place any time", and then Harper backed down. The consortium that runs these things also kiboshed the idea saying they'd do only all leaders debates (minus the Greens). But, Don Newman offered to chair a one-on-one debate between Ignatieff and Harper independent of the consortium, as has Rick Mercer.

Anyway, would you like to see a one-on-one debate between the only two leaders who have an actual shot at being PM?

Comments

Appalled, but not shocked

[ed_rex]

I was going to post about this, but you beat me to it.

I think Ignatieff's acceptance is just another example of his complete lack of respect for, or understanding of, the Canadian parliamentary political system and Canada's history and culture.

This head-to-head debate sounds good on the surface, but it only furthers the degradation and over-simplification of our democracy.

If you (or anyone else) is interested, I've said a lot more about it on my site.

Re: Appalled, but not shocked

[jo]

"Ignatieff's acceptance is just another example of his complete lack of respect for, or understanding of, the Canadian parliamentary political system and Canada's history and culture."

Totally disagree with you there since it was Harper who started this thing. If anyone completely disrespects Canada's parliamentary system, it's the PM.

Personally, i'm not keen on it because it would just reinforce how "presidential" the position of PM has become, however, flip side of that is the current debate format sucks. Duceppe should not be in the English debates since 99% of those viewing can't even vote for his party.

What i'd really like to see would be "cabinet" debates - Jim Flaherty vs Scott Brison and whoever does Finance for the NDP, Lawrence Cannon vs Bob Rae and whoever does Foreign Affairs for the NDP, etc., so as to put more emphasis on the team and take some of the spotlight off the leaders. They sort of did that in the UK last year - had a "chancellors" debate with Darling, Osborne and Cable (outside of the official election campaign, mind you).

Re: Appalled, but not shocked

[ed_rex]

I suppose it's no surprise that I disagree with your disagreements, is it?

I think it's fair enough (more or less) to say that Harper started it, but a Liberal damned well ought to say "no more!" and stand up for this country's traditions. Harper's neo-conservatism is an alien import and permitting him to establish the parameters of debate means that his side wins, whowever comes away with the victory in this election.

Because the American left didn't manage to learn that lesson (always backing away, until the very term, liberal became an epithet), there is no American left to speak of anymore. The same thing could happen here, if our centre doesn't stand up for itself. (I'd say the same thing for what remains "left" about the NDP, but that's a topic for another day.)