Election: Do you agree with the decision to move the date of the French-language debate?

Bloc Quebecois Leader Gilles Duceppe, seen addressing supporters in Montreal on Sunday, April 10, says the Fench-language debates should be moved up a day to avoid a programming conflict with the Montreal-Boston NHL playoff series. Graham Hughes/Canadian Press

By CBC News

Upon learning that the Montreal Canadiens are set to face-off against the Boston Bruins at the same time the federal leaders are scheduled to hold their French-language debate, Bloc Québécois leader Gilles Duceppe asked that the debate be rescheduled.

"I want Quebecers to have the same opportunity to listen to that debate that Canadians will have," Duceppe said.

"We all know hockey is very popular in Canada, and also in Quebec, and I think it would be a better choice to have that debate on Wednesday, so that people who like hockey and (will) have the full opportunity to see the debate and then listen to the hockey game on Thursday night," Duceppe said.

The Bloc sent a letter to the broadcasting consortium made up of the CBC, CTV, Global and TVA in Quebec, formally asking for the French debate to be moved up a day to Wednesday, saying the programming conflict is "heartbreaking" for many Quebecers.

Duceppe called on the other party leaders to present a united front to put pressure on the broadcast consortium to make the change, and NDP Leader Jack Layton weighed in, saying the networks would have to make a choice. Martin Cauchon, the Liberal candidate in the Montreal riding of Outremont, told reporters the Liberals were also in favour of the debate being moved.

The consortium has now decided to reschedule the debate to Wednesday.

Read more.

Are you more likely to watch the debate now that it has been rescheduled? Do you agree with the decision to change the date of the French-language debate?



(The survey is not scientific. Results are based on responses' of readers)