In Canada, hockey trumps politics every time. And don’t the politicians know it.
Certain to come out on the losing end in a battle for television viewers, political parties have agreed to move the date of Thursday’s French language leader’s debate — and avoid a conflict with a Montreal Canadiens’ playoff game.
Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe put the puck in motion, noting that hockey-mad voters are certain to pick a Habs game — and their anticipated showdown with archrival Boston Bruins — over the French debate.
He sought the help of other party leaders in persuading the broadcast consortium that organizes the debates to move it to Wednesday. The English debate is scheduled for Tuesday.
NDP Leader Jack Layton soon added his own voice to Duceppe’s appeal.
“When you have the Canadiens playing against the Boston Bruins at the same time that you have a national political debate, a very large number of people are going to chose to watch the Canadiens play,” Layton said Sunday.
“Were I not in this election I might well make the same decision,” Layton added.
“My goal would be to see the maximum number of people watch the debates.”
Even though Stephen Harper is a hockey fan, the Conservatives tried to stay out of it, saying they’d let the consortium decide whether the debate date should be changed. The broadcast consortium confirmed late Sunday that the French language debate would be Wednesday to ensure it reaches “as wide an audience as possible.”
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http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/972566--french-debate-moved-to-wednesday-over-habs-game?bn=1
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