Thread by @AndrewLawton

The first "official" debate of the 2021 election campaign is on, moderated by Patrice Roy, broadcasting live from the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau. Five leaders were invited: Jagmeet Singh, Justin Trudeau, Erin O'Toole, Annamie Paul, and Yves-François Blanchet. #cdnpoli

In lieu of opening statements, Roy asks leaders if they will commit to not calling a snap election if they win (especially if a minority). Trudeau: No answer. O'Toole: Yes. Singh: No answer. Blanchet: Knows he won't win but wants to keep a government going. Paul: Yes.

First theme is "pandemic and healthcare." Question (from New Brunswick woman) is about long-term care conditions and COVID deaths. How will you ensure seniors aren't neglected?

O'Toole vowed to increase healthcare transfer in "stable, predictable" way.

Paul talks about death of her father in long-term care home during second wave of pandemic. Calls for "radical reform" of system with national standards and subject to Canada Health Act.

Patrice Roy asks Paul if she's for or against mandatory vaccination. She says it's "sad to see the politicization of an issue like this" and that she's in favour of everyone having access to vaccines (though sidesteps "mandatory" part).

Roy says Trudeau is being "mobbed" by protesters and asks if mandating vaccine inflames backlash. Trudeau says "there's no debate about vaccination."

O'Toole says vaccines are "essential...safe and effective," but adds we shouldn't be "dividing" people with vaccine politicization.

Trudeau mocks O'Toole's position of allowing option between vaccination and testing. Fun fact: To attend tonight's debate, media could opt for attesting to vaccination or taking a PCR test in lieu of being vaccinated.

Blanchet: "The federal government should have given us more money." Missed what he was talking about but I think this is an evergreen quote from him.

Erin O'Toole is asked whether Canadians should have the right to pay out of pocket for surgeries. "Non," he says, before saying he respects provincial jurisdiction (and then accuses Trudeau of interfering in provincial affairs).

Trudeau says those who are vaccinated and "have done the right thing" do not pose a risk and have earned the right to get back to normal when it comes to travel.

Second theme: Cost of living and public finances. Question from Quebec business owner is what parties will do to address labour shortage.

Trudeau said the pandemic and CERB/CRB didn't create labour shortage – it was there already.

Question on inflation to Trudeau: What guarantee do we have that the billions in increased spending won't drive up cost of living? Trudeau: "That's an excellent question."

Trudeau says "investments" in childcare, cultural sectors, other aspects of the economy, etc. are there to support people and boost economic growth. He says "We will manage inflation." (So I guess he thinks about monetary policy now?)

Take a drink: Singh says the rich need to "Pay their fair share." (Four or five times, so drink safely).

Next theme: environment. Moderator paints gloom and doom scenario of wildfires, heat wave and an impending "climate catastrophe" before throwing it to an 11-year old child who asks about reducing fossil fuels. Moderator coaches him to say he is concerned about his kids' future.

Singh won't give an answer on what he'll do about the Trans-Mountain Pipeline. Just commits to "taking stock" of the situation if he's elected, whatever that means.

Blanchet says Alberta needs support to transition away from oil and gas, citing a need to "diversify" its economy. Good to know Blanchet is for diversity now.

Next theme is Indigenous identity and culture. Question from Mohawk man in Montreal: "Would you be willing to include the First Nations, Inuit and Metis languages among Canada's official languages?"

Blanchet offers greetings "from nation to nation." He says Indigenous languages should receive official recognition. Trudeau says he's worked with Indigenous people to "develop together an official status for Indigenous languages."

Trudeau brings up appointment of a bilingual governor general who speaks an Indigenous language (though not French) as a "concrete" example of his work. Singh says we must accept Indigenous languages as official.

O'Toole says "reconciliation for a priority for all the leaders here tonight." Commits to offering certain services (like mental health) in Indigenous languages. O'Toole doesn't address whether these languages should be "official."

I have to give Trudeau credit for voluntarily bringing up his appointment of a non-French-speaking governor general during the French debate. I... didn't think he'd want to remind the audience about that.

Spicy question from Roy on book-burning, which you wouldn't think would need to be asked of politicians in a liberal democracy in 2021. Blanchet: Against. Trudeau says he's against book burning but doesn't want to tell Indigenous people how to feel. O'Toole: "Always unacceptable"

Paul says there are "better ways" to express anger but says there is a lot of frustration from Indigenous and black communities. She doesn't actually condemn book burning.

Singh says it's not a good idea to burn books, touting the importance of knowing history to move forward.

Trudeau gets feisty saying he's a Quebecer and always will be a Quebecer, telling Blanchet he doesn't get to claim a monopoly on speaking up for Quebec.

Next theme is on justice, and is, thankfully, a question about Afghanistan. Regretfully, I'll have to bow out from live tweeting here as I need to get ready to head over to where the scrums will be.