The debate; I'm glad it's over.

I’m glad that debate is over.  It’s the first time in two or three elections (federal and provincial) that I’ve actually bothered to watch one start to finish.  Honestly, I find them to be rather pointless, and I cannot stand the posturing by partisan pundits and media personalities about who won or who lost.  There is no winner in a debate, and the only race here anyone is concerned about winning or losing is an election.  Personally, I enjoyed watching it online and sharing irreverent comments on Facebook as it progressed with friends and family members across the country. 

Tonight’s event did more to get discussion about issues facing this country started than it did to offer any solutions from a party or its leader for them.  The long campaign is just beginning.  I live in a major metropolitan area and I’ve only seen one campaign sign in the five full days since it began.  Yes, some of the leaders performed better than others, but there was no clear victor.  Harper’s vulnerabilities on the economy, security, and democracy were apparent.  Trudeau was aggressive to the point of annoyance, giving off the image associated with a private school debating club.  Mulcair kept it calm, sounding optimistic, showing a statesmanlike decency that portrayed someone who can indeed lead a government.  This strength however could also be his greatest weakness.  A little bit of that old “Angry Tom” may have been a good thing.  May was articulate and informed—maybe too much for her own good.  She comes across as kind of a well-meaning know-it-all. 

The debate honestly lacked force on some of the topics.  I really thought income inequality could have been much more strongly addressed.  The sections on the environment and security were probably the best two with Harper looking weak on the environment and Trudeau looking weak when he couldn’t give a decent answer about why the Liberals supported C-51.  And did anyone notice what was missing from the debate?  There was no discussion of aboriginal people, young people, or poverty!  Where were the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s recommendations?  What about that desperately needed inquiry into missing and murdered aboriginal women?  How about homelessness?  How about ensuring there are meaningful professions for university graduates that do not involve deep fryers or coffee beans?

There is no clear indication of if there will again be an English—or French language debate involving these four leaders again during the campaign.  The old system of having debates coordinated by the television and radio networks has fallen apart, instead leading to a patchwork of debates with varying levels of leader attendance held by other media outlets or other institutions.  Tonight’s debate was presented by Maclean’s Magazine and the Toronto-based CITY-TV station, owned by Rogers which also broadcasted it on its OMNI station.  While Maclean’s has been a mainstay of quality journalism in Canada for decades, many of us can remember a time when CITY-TV was known for unconventional and even raunchy programming.  The Toronto-based OMNI has always provided programming in various languages to serve the diverse cultural communities of southern Ontario since its early days as CFMT-Channel 47, Cable 4.  The broadcasting scene in Canada has changed significantly from when debates were a stodgy CBC-CTV coproduction.  As for the certainty of another debate as comprehensive as tonight’s, does it even matter?  Citizens are more likely to make their decisions based on their own contemplation or conversations held in cafes, bars, and around campfires than from two hours of television.  The only people who pay attention to formal debates are those of us with some level of political engagement.  Personally, I’d be quite satisfied if there was no other major debate after this one, if anything just to spare us from the punditry and sensationalized analysis.