François Legault had promised to be in a better mood than at last week’s Face-to-face, but his combative and even grumpy nature quickly returned to a gallop yesterday, at the Radio-Canada debate.
A less cacophonous exercise, more focused on the proposed measures than the previous one.
Seeming to want to settle an account, the CAQ leader charged Éric Duhaime vehemently about the pandemic, calling him an “agitator”, who “benefited from the suffering” of people, an “irresponsible”.
This provoked one of the most virulent exchanges of the evening, Éric Duhaime trying to respond to the Prime Minister tit for tat, accusing him, among other things, of having sacrificed the young people. “I won’t sink as low as you!”
In this shock, all the polarization stemming from the management of the pandemic was summed up. Let’s hope that, in the last week of the campaign, this will not have the effect of accentuating it, the climate being already quite tense (vandalism, threats, organization of convoys).
Éric Duhaime was however the most aggressive player of the evening, multiplying the attacks. Sometimes skilfully, as during an exchange with Gabriel-Nadeau Dubois about the health system. The co-spokesperson for QS had declared “if the presence of the private health sector worked, it would be known”. To which the Conservative leader replied: “If the monopoly worked, we would know too!”
After launching a “I find it noble” to Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois about the fight against greenhouse gases, François Legault quickly changed his tone towards him. He criticized her for not sufficiently considering the effects of her plan on families. Thereafter, he reserved countless attacks on him. The orange chef told him to stop “scaring the world”, telling him to “put away his Halloween decorations”. And François Legault to retort invariably: “Stop playing in Wonderland!”
GND was less sparkling than Head-to-Head. He had good times, especially when he sent back the image of “shooting in the boat” in the face of François Legault in order to reproach him for his lack of solidarity with regard to young people, in connection with climate change.
More natural anglade
Dominique Anglade had to offer an extraordinary performance to turn the tide. She almost succeeded. His tone was more natural, less “cassette,” although his way of looking at the camera seemed like some kind of new obsession that often seemed forced.
Paul St-Pierre Plamondon had another excellent debate. He repeatedly wanted to place himself above the fray, trying to reframe the debate, giving good points to his opponents. The risk was to become a kind of pastoral animator. But he knew how to be powerful on several occasions, in particular when he criticized the policy of Quebec solidaire to cancel the QST on basic necessities, a boost to the rich. He managed to mention his fundamental projects (independence and French language), a strategy that could bring sovereignist voters back to the fold.
- Paul Saint-Pierre Plamondon: 9/10
- Gabriel-Nadeau Dubois: 7.5/10
- Dominique Anglade: 8/10
- Francois Legault: 7/10
- Eric Duhaime: 7/10