Was it a debate or a quiz?
A bit of both. In any case, it will have been instructive and much more substantial than the first.
The economic populism of Pierre Poilievre was vigorously challenged from within.
His call to outsmart inflation by investing in cryptocurrencies was mocked by just about everyone on stage.
So was his promise to fire the Governor of the Bank of Canada and his entourage. Yet it is the business of his campaign.
The leader in the race took the brunt of the attacks. A useful exercise if one day he wants to measure himself against real opponents.
But he too let go, especially on Jean Charest, who continued to defend himself from having been a liberal Quebec premier.
With all that attention on the point guard, Mr. Charest was able to breathe easier than at the debate last week.
But the crowd came regularly to remind him that confidence is still to be built with the current membership of a party that he shunned two years ago, during the last leadership race.
Field
A good part of the first hour was dedicated to getting to know the six candidates to succeed Erin O’Toole personally.
We know who Jean Charest would like to have dinner with, we know Pierre Poilievre’s favorite music and the identity of Patrick Brown’s political hero.
We can laugh about it, but this playful section made it possible to know a little more about them.
The problem is that it was the only official debate in English that brought together all the candidates before the choice of the leader on September 10.
And they only have a few weeks left to sell party membership cards.
Now that the presentations are made (in English, a debate in French is organized on May 25), the party would benefit from organizing other debates later in the race. Conservative members and Canadians should have the chance to see them still in action.
Because clearly, they still have things to say to each other, and to explain.
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