The House

In House Panel - May 16

The debate over debates. How many times will federal party leaders face off before the next election? Will the various parties agree to where, when and how their leaders will debate? Mark Kennedy and Jennifer Ditchburn join us to talk about the high stakes of debate politics and the latest advertising controversy.
New Democratic Party leader Jack Layton, left to right, Bloc Quebecois leader Gilles Duceppe and Prime Minister Stephen Harper listen to Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff debate during the French language 2011 federal election debate in Ottawa. (Canadian Press)

There's one way the next federal campaign will be different from past ones.

The Conservative Party officially rebuffed this week the proposal by the media consortium that has traditionally organized leaders' debates in favour of competing offers from individual media outlets and other organizations.

Different debate formats? 

Debates before the writ period?

There are tons of possibilities and the stakes are incredibly high. 

In House panelists Mark Kennedy and Jennifer Ditchburn discuss the debate over the debates and the latest advertising controversy involving Employment Minister Pierre Poilievre.

Federal leaders' debates

10 years ago
Duration 16:40
Party strategists Kory Teneycke, Anne McGrath and Rob Silver discuss the negotiations surrounding the federal leaders' debates