Chefs’ challenges for TVA’s Face-to-Face

Four of the five political party leaders will take part in their first-ever televised debate tonight at the Face to face at VAT. What challenges await our politicians in this game? The newspaper spoke with four political scientists.

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Dominique Anglade

the Face to face of TVA represents an opportunity for Dominique Anglade to “stop the drift” of his party and to turn the tide, according to Mireille Lalancette, professor of political communication at UQTR.

The Liberal leader will have the challenge of promoting the “liberal brand” and distinguishing her proposals from those of the CAQ, which are similar in several respects.

“What does it mean to vote Liberal in 2022?” argues Philippe Dubois, professor of political communication at ENAP.

One way to achieve this is to better explain its environmental commitments and simplify its vision of green hydrogen, according to UQAM professor Stéphanie Yates.

“She must be able in a few key sentences to image, explain and concretize that to the electorate,” she says.

M^me Anglade must also insist on its image as a unifying and accessible person, in addition to working to make itself better known, according to our experts.

“Dominique Anglade arrived in the midst of a pandemic, which took away ice time for her to define herself and introduce herself to Quebecers,” recalls Professor Dubois.

Paul St-Pierre Plamondon

“Seduce, seduce, seduce, the 30% of sovereignist Quebecers, so as not to lose too many feathers!”

It is in these words that Professor Mireille Lalancette sums up the main challenge for Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, who will have to do well in a context where sovereignty is no longer a central issue.

UQAM political scientist Stéphanie Yates agrees and maintains that the leader of the Parti Québécois, who has been leading a “positive” campaign so far, is facing a performance challenge.

“Hammer down its key messages, deliver them effectively and impactfully. That, I think, will be a particular challenge for him”, pleads M^me Yates.

“He’s a good teacher, but the debates go quickly. He will have to find a way to make an impression, to stand out, if he wants to use this first debate to attract more media and “former” PQ attention to him and his political offer, ”says Philippe Dubois.

Eric Duhaime

Constantly progressing in the polls, Éric Duhaime also risks being the target of several of his vis-à-vis, who will probably reproach him for his lack of experience, the non-payment of his property taxes and certain controversial positions of his candidates, analyze our experts.

A skilled communicator, the former radio host is a debater to watch.

“Is he going to reuse his controversial controversial radio host strategies? Or will he pose as someone calm, as a credible and interesting alternative to Mr. Legault?” questions the professor of political communication at UQTR Mireille Lalancette.

The game will also be an opportunity for him to work on his “general public” side, if he hopes to broaden his base and rally the undecided.

“His challenge is going to be to present himself as a credible leader for everyone and not just for a single minority of frustrated people,” she continues.

The leader of the Conservative Party will also have to motivate his base to vote.

“There is a good part of his electorate who has lost the desire to vote or who has not voted for a long time”, notes Eric Montigny, professor at Laval University.

Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois

Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois must take advantage of this game to demonstrate the credibility of his party and its measures, say political scientists.

“Because we are going to attack him on the realism of his plan. We will do everything to discredit it and not show it as a realistic option,” says Mireille Lalancette, professor of political communication at UQTR.

The same goes for Philippe Dubois, professor at ENAP, who recalls that Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois has done a lot to change his image and present himself and his party as a credible alternative to the current government.

“He will have to show that he is a ‘prime minister’, in particular by finding key messages likely to reach electoral segments other than the traditional ‘young-left-community’ base of the party”, explains Mr. Dubois.

Professor in the Department of Social and Public Communication at UQAM, Stéphanie Yates has the impression that Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois would benefit from presenting himself as the best choice to constitute the official opposition. This could allay some fears on the part of the electorate, she believes.

Francois Legault

The outgoing Prime Minister will undoubtedly be the target of all attacks, say our experts.

“He will have to be able to defend his record while showing Quebecers that better days are ahead of them,” analyzes Philippe Dubois, professor of political communication at ENAP.

His challenge will be to contain his passion in front of his opponents and avoid responding to them with arrogance.

“If appreciated, the paternalistic approach can end up annoying the electorate. You have to be careful,” warns political scientist Stephanie Yates.

“What is difficult in a position of Prime Minister is at the same time to remain calm, without appearing to be asleep or embalmed. The line is thin,” adds Eric Montigny, professor at Laval University.

François Legault must expect the other leaders to bring back his statements on immigration, the third link or his management of the pandemic.

“He has every interest in detaching himself a little from his contentious remarks on immigration and going back on his economic commitments, since he is very credible on this subject”, summarizes M^me Yates.