LILLEY: Conservative leadership debate was a poor performance

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In case your first introduction to the Conservative Celebration had been the management debate on Thursday, there’s a very good probability you wouldn’t come again for a re-assessment.

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Indignant, confrontational and at occasions bitter are a few of the methods you possibly can describe the performances.

It wasn’t the fault of the organizers — the Canada Sturdy and Free Networking Convention put collectively a debate that allowed for a free trade of concepts. The issue is what a few of the candidates had been saying.

Scott Aitchison appeared misplaced calling for respect, management and unity within the race. The 2-time MP and former mayor of Huntsville, Ont., spoke of the dearth of management expertise in Parliament. He might have been speaking concerning the debate stage as effectively.

Pierre Poilievre and Leslyn Lewis battled it out to see who might sound the angriest, be probably the most bitter, and act as the largest advocate for the trucker convoy.

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The Lewis we noticed on stage Thursday isn’t the identical calm lady who received individuals over by exuding grace and a data of the problems in 2020. This Lewis is strident and talking up for individuals who not solely assume the nation is headed within the flawed path however is definitely sitting in hell within the handbasket already.

Poilievre, in the meantime, proved me flawed by being the chippy indignant particular person his critics painting him as. I’ve been requested on quite a few radio applications about Poilievre and this caricature the Liberals flip him into. As somebody that has identified him virtually 20 years, I’ve stated that’s not the person I do know — however that was the person who confirmed up on stage in Ottawa.

Their need to outbid one another on mandates and assist for the trucker protests is puzzling. A mid-February ballot from the Angus Reid Institute confirmed the Conservative Celebration break up slightly than united on assist for the truckers. As for specializing in vaccinations, simply 7% of the grownup inhabitants in Canada has chosen to not be totally vaccinated.

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They’re taking part in to a shrinking group of potential supporters.

Roman Baber really spoke to problems with basic freedoms and the harms of lockdowns in a a lot better manner. He impressed me along with his total efficiency however particularly in his presenting these points in a manner that may entice slightly than repel voters who could also be on the opposite facet.

As for Poilievre’s try to indicate up Jean Charest on Huawei, I’m unsure it labored.

His questioning of Charest’s work for Huawei is legitimate, his choice to ask precisely how a lot Charest was paid after which interrupt him each few seconds to demand a quantity seemed petty and sophomoric. His strongest supporters could like such shows, however they received’t win over new voters, particularly not in a basic election.

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Regardless of the verbal pounding, Charest got here away from that trade trying effective. He didn’t do or say something that may win over individuals who have purchased into Poilievre’s assaults on him however he confirmed he can deal with a tricky debate. That’s no shock to anybody who has lined Quebec politics the place being a federalist, as Charest was, makes you a punching bag for the media and political institution.

Charest leaned into his expertise as premier, the one one on stage to have run a authorities, and why that may be greatest for the nation.

It’s laborious to say anybody received the controversy Thursday, although I might say that Poilievre and Lewis misplaced. The following debate is Might 11 in Edmonton and I’ll hope for higher performances from them.

Canadians want a stable different government-in-waiting to Trudeau’s Liberals, not a membership for indignant individuals to complain concerning the world.

blilley@postmedia.com