In March, social media posts from Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and others suggested Liberal Leader Mark Carney's refusal to participate in a French-language TVA debate represented a refusal to participate in any French language debates. These claims are misleading. The official French language debate, organized by an independent group responsible for executing a debate in both official languages, is still going forward and is expected to include all major federal party leaders who meet the invitation requirements.
Liberal Leader Mark Carney faced scrutiny from his political opponents this week after announcing he would not participate in TVA's “Face-à -Face" French-language debate, resulting in its cancellation.Ìý
Carney said he refused because the Green Party wasn't invited and a party source said the $75,000 entrance fee for each party also played a role, .Ìý
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre quickly condemned Carney's decision. , formerly Twitter, he said, "their leader is too afraid to debate me in French. If Mark Carney is too fragile to debate other leaders, how can he stand up to Trump?" The post received nearly 30,000 likes on the platform.
Other posts on social media suggest some interpreted Carney's TVA debate refusal as a refusal to participate in any French language debate.Ìý
A March 26 accused him of "skipping the French debate," earning more than 1,000 shares.Ìý
"I hear Mark Carney is ducking Pierre Poilievre for the French debate!" an X user wrote in a with more than 3,000 likes.Ìý
RATING: MISLEADING
The Leaders' Debate Commission is the independent group in Canada; one in English and one in French.Ìý
Created in 2018 by the federal government, the commission's debates are considered the "official" federal election debates.
The commission organized the federal debates in 2019 and 2021, in which all invited party leaders participated.
The TVA debate, while considered secondary to the more official debates, is a tradition in which invited party leaders historically participated.Ìý
In both and , leaders for the federal Liberals, Conservatives, NDP and Bloc Québécois participated, while the Green Party was not invited.Ìý
The French-language debate organized by the Leaders' Debates Commission , with the English debate taking place the next day.Ìý
The commission won't announce who it invited to participate in the debates until April 1, but Carney meets the requirements laid out by the commission.Ìý
Carney said he plans to participate in both debates, in French and English, organized by the commission.
SOURCES
Claims posted to X March 24, 2025 () and () and March 26, 2025 ()
Michelle Lalonde. Carney declined French TVA debate upon learning Green Party wasn’t invited, he says. Montreal Gazette . March 25, 2025 ()
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). Leaders' Debates Commission . Accessed March 28, 2025 ()
«Face-à -Face»: les chefs ont tout donné. TVA . Oct. 3, 2019 ()
Face-à -Face 2021: les chefs s’affrontent dans un premier débat. TVA . Sept. 2, 2021 ()
Leaders’ Debates Commission announces dates, location for upcoming debates, and leader participation decision date. Leaders' Debates Commission . March 24, 2025 ()
ABOUT CANADIAN PRESS FACT CHECKS
You can find out more about ´ºÉ«Ö±²¥here and about ´ºÉ«Ö±²¥ Press Fact Checks here. To reach our fact-checking team with any tips, corrections or comments, please email us at cpfactcheck@thecanadianpress.com.
