In the run-up to the leadership debate Tuesday, the governing Liberal party was the least favourite choice of Quebec francophone voters, and none of the three leading contenders was able to garner even one-third of the French-speaking electorate.

According to a CROP poll of March 10, among French-speakers, Jean Charest and his Liberals gathered only 24 per cent, while Mario Dumont and the ADQ took 31 per cent, and André Boisclair and the PQ, led with 32 per cent. Overall, Jean Charest was ahead in the polls with 34 per cent, simply because he is the automatic choice of Anglophone voters.

Observers tuning in to the televised debate were looking for some clarity in an election campaign characterized by doubts about the major contenders. Those waiting for the knockout punch, the telling exchange, a defining moment, were disappointed. Three glib, self-assured professional politicians, each active in politics since their early 20s, snarled at each other, and posed for the cameras.

The result was very disappointing. Instead of a presentation of the challenges facing Quebec, and debates surrounding proposals for the future, we were treated to a food fight, as the leaders hurled insults at each other, and tried constantly to deprecate the character of the others.

André Boisclair made every attempt to grab the attention of the viewers by interrupting constantly. Mario Dumont tried to create a scandal by accusing Charest and his government of ignoring reports predicting problems before the collapse of a bridge that left five dead.

If Dumont can make his charges stick he will gain ground. There is no reason to think Boisclair left any message that will attract new voters to his party.

Of the five subjects chosen for the debate, the political future of Quebec generated the most energy. Jean Charest wanted to claim credit for everything from the recognition of Quebec as a nation by the House of Commons, to the upcoming resolution of the fiscal imbalance by the Harper government. Mario Dumont saw a Quebec premier for the first time accepting that his province become a province like the others, with no more status than Prince Edward Island, by proposing the creation of a permanent premiers council (Council of the Federation).

Both Charest and Dumont went after Boisclair for his proposed referendum on the independence of Quebec, the most radical proposal ever made by the PQ according to Charest (no partnership or association with the rest of Canada is to be part of the referendum question). Dumont poked fun at the proposal, suggesting Boisclair was lost in a dream world, without any connection to the aspiration of Quebecers.

In this campaign the Liberal strategy of forcing Quebecers to choose between sovereignty and federalism has backfired. Instead of pushing those who reject a third referendum into the federalist camp, Charest has sent soft nationalist voters, and those sovereigntists unimpressed by Boisclair, into the arms of Dumont.

The best guess after an inconclusive leaders’ debate is that Quebec will end up with a minority Liberal government. The saddest feature of the campaign is that the three leading parties are each aligned to the right. Those left unsatisfied by the party leaders’ performance in the televised debates may well decide to vote for Québec Solidaire, or even the Quebec Green Party.

Duncan Cameron

Duncan Cameron

Born in Victoria B.C. in 1944, Duncan now lives in Vancouver. Following graduation from the University of Alberta he joined the Department of Finance (Ottawa) in 1966 and was financial advisor to the...