Liberals, NDP make gains in French debate

TORONTO, Ont. – Morning-after buzz about Wednesday night’s French-language debate has the Liberals and NDP on the move.

An Ipsos Reid poll conducted immediately after the debate found most Francophone viewers felt NDP Leader Jack Layton and Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff performed above expectations, while Conservative Leader Stephen Harper performed beneath expectations.

The poll also found Layton is the most popular federalist leader in Quebec, but that the economy remains the top concern.

Depending on how you want to measure it, some thought Harper won because none of the others were able to undo him enough to be viewed in a negative light. Others felt Bloc Leader Gilles Duceppe finished in top spot because he was on home turf in language and seat count.

But, Maclean’s magazine columnist Paul Wells told 680News in Toronto that having to debate in French actually helped all of them.

“All the Anglophones were, to some extent, helped by the fact that they’re speaking in a second language. It slowed them down and it calmed them down. Michael Ignatieff, especially, was a little less jittery and yappy than he was in the English debate,” Wells said.

CTV, one of the partners of the television consortium, reported four million people watched the English-language debate on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the Nanos tracking poll for the Globe and Mail reported Thursday morning found that there has been movement in the public support numbers since the English debate. The Conservatives have slipped a bit to 39.9 per cent, while the Liberals are up at 30 per cent. The NDP has moved up about three points to 18 per cent.

All four leaders will be campaigning in Quebec, Thursday, as the home stretch approaches towards the May 2 federal election.