Welcome to our debate live blog, where we will be running down all the events from tonight’s English-language debate.
Good evening, iPolitics readers.
Welcome to our debate live blog, where we will be running down all the events from tonight’s English-language debate.
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9:20 p.m.
While the leaders’ debate commission has cancelled tonight’s scrums, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh will talk to reporters at 9:45 p.m. tonight, per the party.
It remains to be seen whether any of the other leaders will go before the cameras this evening.
9:15 p.m.
As confirmed by iPolitics editor-in-chief Marco Vigliotti, the executive director of the leaders’ debate, Michel Cormier, has told reporters that there will be no scrums with the leaders following tonight’s debate.
“We don’t feel that we can actually guarantee a proper environment for this activity,” said Cormier.
Debates commission head Michel Cormier tells reporters that the post-debate scrums have been cancelled because they can’t guarantee a “proper environment.” He took no questions and left #cdnpoli #Debate2025 pic.twitter.com/fbb3N7qWdX
— Marco Vigliotti (@Marco_Vigliotti) April 18, 2025
9:00 p.m.
We close with some quick final statements, highlighted by Carney reiterating that Trump wants Canada’s resources and that he’s the person to respond, as well as Poilievre reiterating his belief that Canada needs a change in government.
Paikin gives a shoutout to Blanchet, who turned 6o-years-old on Wednesday, before signing off.
The leaders shake hands, as Carney and Poilievre share a quick word (and a laugh) as the debate comes to a close.
Thanks for following along with us!
8:55 p.m.
Paikin gives a final question to each of the leaders — what’s your biggest regret of the campaign so far?
Blanchet: Not creating the environment earlier for a Canada-Quebec partnership to fight against Trump’s tariffs.
Singh: Not meeting as many people as he’d like during the campaign.
Carney: Same answer as Singh, noting that it’s a big country, but they have little time.
Poilievre: Same answer as the previous two leaders, adding that he hasn’t forgotten about the people who have come to Conservative rallies that he didn’t hve the chance to meet.
8:47 p.m.
Finally, a question from Carney to Poilievre about why he hasn’t pursued a top-level security clearance available to all party leaders, which led the Conservative leader to repeat answers he’s given throughout the campaign trail about how the clearance would limit his ability to criticize the government on foreign interference.
“It’s good that I made that decision because it has allowed me to speak freely,” said Poilievre, before taking aim at former Liberal candidate Paul Chiang, who became embroiled in controversy after suggesting a Tory candidate should be turned over to Chinese authorities who have placed a bounty on him.
Carney decided against dropping Chiang as a candidate, though he ultimately decided to withdraw before the nomination deadline.
8:43 p.m.
Time for the heavyweight matchup, as Poilievre takes aim at Carney’s past comments on the economy and his history advising Justin Trudeau. The Tory leader asks if Carney will apologize for the policies of previous Liberal government
“I know you want to be running against Justin Trudeau,” Carney said to Poilievre. “Justin Trudeau is not here.”
Carney then went on to tout his record as central bank governor in Canada and the U.K., which he said led to low inflation environments in both countries.
Before time ended, Poilievre snuck in one more of his talking points, saying that “the last 10 years were about the Liberals, the next 10 years should be about you.”
8:40 p.m.
After a discussion about the situation in the Middle East, the debate moves into its a section where the leaders can ask questions of one another (perhaps the only questions the leaders will be facing tonight, as noted below).
Starting with Singh, he asks Carney about the activities of his former company, Brookfield Investments, who Singh called “one of the biggest tax dodgers in Canada” before asking the Liberal leader what side he’s on.
Carney said he’s “on the side of Canadians.”
“I’m in this for Canadians [and] I work for Canadians,” he said.
Up next is Blanchet, who also targets Carney, asking the Liberal leader about Brookfield’s investments in the fossil fuel industry. The Bloc leader talked about media reports regarding Carney’s efforts to register investment funds in Bermuda for tax purposes, then asks Carney if he will reveal all the details of his assets before the election.
In response, Carney called Brookfield a “success story” and one of the largest developers of renewable power in the world, then said he “served the shareholders of Brookfield when [he] was there” but has “always acted with integrity.”
8:28 p.m.
CTV News is reporting that the leaders’ post-debate scrums will not proceed as originally anticipated. This development comes after Michel Cormier, executive director of the leaders’ debate, escorted Rebel News’ Ezra Levant out of the media section ahead of the debate.
No additional details are available of this time, though iPolitics has been told that the commission will provide a statement on the situation in short order.
8:25 p.m.
Both Carney and Singh advocate for continuing to support Ukraine, but the NDP leader then shifts the conversation back to healthcare, saying Carney will make massive cuts to Canadian healthcare services.
Carney reaffirmed that he would “not cut transfers to health care” and “not cut health care spending.”
“Full stop,” he said. “I’ve consistently said we will preserve all the transfers to the provinces, including the increases.”
8:20 p.m.
Paikin gives Singh a healthcare question, after the New Democrat tried to force the issue in last night’s French-language debate, asking how he would handle a situation where provinces take issue with the federal government’s vision for healthcare.
Singh responds by saying the federal government can’t give away money without having “clear conditions” for how the provinces use it.
8:18 p.m.
Time for the final theme, which is “leading in a crisis.” Paikin starts with a question to Carney about his promise to balance the budget within three years, to which he said would focus on capital spending to drive sizeable private investment in Canada.
Next question to Poilievre, who is asked whether Canada should increase aid to Ukraine if the U.S. pulls it support. In response, the Conservative leader he believes “we should continue to support Ukraine,” without providing additional details.
Blanchet adds that Canada “must help Ukraine,” but that we also need to help the civilians of Gaza and “destroy Hamas,” who he says “is a terrorist organization.
8:15 p.m.
Poilievre says Conservatives support protecting our environment and called for a ban on the “dumping of raw sewage in our waters,” before criticizing the Liberals for sacrificing Canadian industrial protection to uphold environmental policies.
8:07 p.m.
Singh asks Carney whether he would commit to ending oil and gas subsidies, to which the Liberal leader was unequivocal — “yes, end to oil and gas subsidies.”
In the interim, Poilievre reiterated his commitment to scrap the industrial carbon price, prompting Singh to ask the Tory leader if he “wants [fossil fuel companies] to just pollute as much as they want?”
8:05 p.m.
Moving into the open debate, which starts with a question to Blanchet about whether critical minerals should be mined, to which the Bloc leader t says, “of course.”
“But we don’t want to pay for the billions of dollars that were spent by the Liberals on oil and gas last year,” he continued.
Carney then says there’s an “enormous opportunity” both economically and strategically across the country when it comes to critical minerals.
“Do we become more dependent on the United States, which is what they want?” asked Carney. “The opportunity includes in Europe and Asia as our partners.”
“We’ll put in a first- and last-mile fund, so these products can go quickly to road and to rail, and then to market.”
8:01 p.m.
Asked about where climate change fits in his list of priorities, Poilievre says he’s focused on “bringing home jobs while bringing down emissions around the world,” adding that increasing Canada’s energy production and exporting resources globally will help fight climate change on a global scale and benefit the national economy.
In turn, Carney advocates for including Indigenous peoples in resource development.
“That’s why we’re doubling… the Indigenous loan guarantee program to $10 billion,” said Carney, adding that it will allow First Nations to secure equity in resource development projects.
7:59 p.m.
Now, we’re on to the section on energy and the environment, which projects to be a repeat of the earlier exchange on pipelines.
Singh begins by warning about the potential for increased natural disasters exacerbated by climate change.
7:50 p.m.
The next section, devoted to public safety, focuses largely on Poilievre’s commitment to use the notwithstanding clause in sentencing matters for “multiple murderers.”
Carney immediately took aim at the Tory leader, saying that “one of the core responsibilities of the federal government and prime minister is to defend the fundamental rights and liberties of Canadians.”
“It’s a very dangerous slope to override judgements from the Supreme Court of Canada,” he said. “The charter of rights and freedoms exist to protect Canadians from people like us on the stage.”
Carney added that the main concern about Poilievre’s proposed use of the notwithstanding clause is not where he starts, but “where you stop.”
In response, Poilievre said, while Carney is interested in the rights of criminals, he is “interested in the rights of victims.”
“We will use [the clause] to protect the charter rights of law-abiding Canadians,” said Poilievre.
7:20 p.m.
The debate is underway and already sparks are flying. The first discussion round was intended to focus on Canada’s response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs, but it quickly transitioned into a chippy exchange about pipelines.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre criticized Liberal Leader Mark Carney for failing to repeal Bill C-69, also known as the Impact Assessment Act, which he has long-described as the “anti-pipeline law.”
In response, Carney touted the Liberal government’s purchase and construction of the Trans Mountain pipeline, decisions that were made under his predecessor, Justin Trudeau.
Meanwhile, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh jabbed Carney and Poilievre, and said the duo was competing to see which party is more “pro-pipeline,” and instead advocated for a cross-country clean electricity grid.
6:40 p.m.
The countdown is on.
We’re 20 minutes away from the start of the English-language leaders’ debate, where Liberal Leader Mark Carney, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, and Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet will make their party’s pitch to Canadians.
Green Co-Leader Jonathan Pedneault was also originally expected to participate in tonight’s debate, but was abruptly dropped from the invite list on Wednesday, only hours before the French-language event.
According to the draft programme from CBC/Radio-Canada, which was selected to produce both the French and English sessions, the “main editorial themes” for tonight’s back-and-forth will be similar, although not identical, to those on deck during last night’s go-round in French:
- Affordability and the cost of living
- Energy and climate
- Leading in a crisis
- Public safety and security
- Tariffs and threats to Canada
Meanwhile, TVO anchor Steve Paikin will be in the moderator’s chair when the debate gets underway in Montreal.
We’ll have more updates for you as the night progresses.
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