Roundup: Globe Debate debacle

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The big “economic debate” was last night, hosted by the Globe and Mail, and well, it wasn’t exactly edifying on any account. The moderator was also commenting, he rushed segments so the leaders were alternating between slow points and rushing through, and then there was the shouting and the non sequiturs. And what non sequiturs they were – I’m not sure what C-51 had to do with taxation, but Thomas Mulcair brought it up anyway. Truth be told, much of the “debate” was leaders trying to go down their talking point and catchphrase checklists. Alas. Kady O’Malley offers advice for future single-issue debates, while Drake Fenton gives an ode to the moderator’s bell/egg timer. Reaction from the Citizen’s pundit panel, Paul Wells, and Micheal Den Tandt.

On the campaign:

  • The Conservatives and NDP called out the Liberals for not releasing their costing yet.
  • The NDP were out for a second day, finally releasing a more comprehensive breakdown of their numbers. Why didn’t they do this on Wednesday?
  • Justin Trudeau went canoeing on the Bow River to relax before the debate, while others debate his competence.

Good reads:

  • Here are some more reactions about the NDP’s “costed” platform from Jennifer Robson, John Geddes, Althia Raj, and a CBC fact-check on corporate taxes.
  • Ruh-roh! While Mulcair has been touting his candidate Andrew Thomson’s balanced budgets in Saskatchewan, the province’s former auditor says they weren’t. (Thomson was also a Liberal donor and lives far from his riding).
  • Former Bank of Canada Governor David Dodge draws a link between deficit fighting and retreating economic growth.
  • Elections Canada says it’s not to blame for the complicated rules around expats voting – they only enforce the legislation they’re given.
  • The campaign in Winnipeg Centre is full of drama.
  • Our low dollar has made the F-35s pretty much unaffordable.
  • In part two of a series, Stephen Saideman imagines what an NDP defence policy would look like.
  • Over on Loonie Politics, I look at the trade debate that isn’t happening in this election.

Odds and ends:

Here’s a look at the challenges of the upcoming East Block renovations (along with some West Block updates).

Here’s a look at those who have been digging into candidates’ past social media posts.