[ad_1]
Politics on Tuesday, when the French language leaders’ debate was suddenly rescheduled to reduce a conflict with a Montreal Canadiens hockey play.
Two federal party leaders have asked for the Wednesday night debate to be moved, from the concern that the game could take potential viewers down. Five party leaders will debate twice this week, once in French and once in English, before a national election for April 28.
The television event is now taking place two hours earlier than planned, from 18:00 to 20:00 ET in Montreal. The NHL team will face the Carolina Hurricanes at 19:00, in a match they can find a place in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
In a statement, Radio-Canada and the Leaders’ Debate Commission said they “recognize the Canadian’s passion for hockey”.
“Citizens will be able to catch this important moment in the election campaign, while also following the decisive periods of the hockey game that can put the Montreal Canad service in the playoffs,” the statement says.
Earlier in the day, NDP leader Hunting Meet Singh and Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet both called on the organizers of the debate to reschedule the event.
“Hockey is in our blood,” Singh said in a statement. “This scheduling conflict makes the political system look out of contact and will have a serious impact on whom the only French debate of the campaign agrees.”
At a press conference Tuesday afternoon, Blanchet said he wrote to the Debate Commission.
“Let’s not underestimate the importance of this debate for the Quebec democracy on the one hand,” he told reporters. “Let’s not underestimate the quality of the game either.”
This is not the first time NHL hockey has its way to the campaign track. During the 2011 election, former block leader Gilles Duceppe asked for a debate to be postponed due to a Canadiniens hockey game, and his request was granted.
Prime Minister and Liberal Leader Mark Carney also acknowledged the unfortunate timing of the debate, but did not ask for it to be rescheduled, and said Tuesday that the French language debate would be a chance to inform the Canadians who choose to watch the debate instead of the Habs game, using a nickname for the Canadel.
Blanchet used the opportunity to get a whip at Carney, whose French are the worst of the big party leaders. “It is clear that we all have the impression … that the fewer people listen to the debate, the happier Mr. Carney, ‘he said.
The Canad service could qualify for the play -offs before they even go to the ice on Wednesday unless the Columbus Blue Jackets win without going overtime Tuesday night.
But if the Blue Jackets win, it will increase the game for the Canadel’s last game of the ordinary season on Wednesday, which could be their last chance to find a place in the NHL playoffs.
If the Canadel loses in the regulation, their fate will depend on the outcome of the Blue Jackets match on Thursday.
[ad_2]
Source link
