Election Debate Rescheduled to Avoid Hockey Clash

Canada's beloved hockey took precedence Wednesday as the French-language leaders' debate was rescheduled to avoid clashing with a Montreal Canadiens game. The election debate will take place from 6pm to 8pm Eastern on Wednesday. It was moved to avoid clashing with the Canadiens' game against the Carolina Hurricanes, which starts at 7pm, the AP reports. The change was made to let citizens watch both the election debate and the hockey match. If the Canadiens lose, their playoff berth will depend on the result of the Columbus Blue Jackets game. The national election is set for April 28. NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet requested the rescheduling.

"Hockey is in our blood," Singh said. "Let's not underestimate the importance of this debate for Quebec democracy, on the one hand," Blanchet said. "Let's not underestimate the quality of the game, either." Prime Minister Mark Carney acknowledged the timing concern but didn't call for a schedule change. His French is the weakest among the party leaders, the AP notes, and Blanchet quipped that "the fewer people listening to the debate, the happier Mr. Carney is." Radio-Canada and the Leaders' Debates Commission said the debate time was changed to reflect "Canadians' passion for hockey," reports Reuters. (This content was created with the help of AI. Read our AI policy.)