Martin Gets Best Shot in during the No-Contact Debate

The new debate format looks alot like the NHL. There was no contact or interaction allowed between the leaders. It wasn't a debate but more like a forum where each leader recited an answer for each question and no leader was allowed to break the format by actaully holding another leader accountable. Under this format it was difficult for their to be winner but there were losers. Layton's constant branding at the end of each message to vote NDP was repetitious and annoying. Harper's Turneresque smirk was annoying and on Quebec separtism the most serious example he thought of was that Canada might not be a sure-fire gold metal winner in the olympics. Duceppe the most experienced debator was rock-solid and effective in his role as Quebec separtist's ambassador to English Canada but he did make a serious error that the none of the other leaders fail to catch. Martin made two great attacks on Harper and Duceppe.

On same-sex marriage, Duceppe said it wasn't voted on should not be reopened up. So it's different than Quebec separtism where there has been not one vote but two votes where Quebekers voted to stay in Canada.

Well, we already had a free vote on that, so I think we shouldn't have a free vote on a question that was resolved every six months. That was decided, and I think we have to live with that, and people I think will get used to that because it is now normal, and I don't want to live in a society where some people don't have the same kind of rights than other people.

Paul Martin later in the debate went after Duceppe with venom over the clarity bill and definately was the highlight of the night.

You are not going to do an "astuce" as Jacques Parizeau said. This is my country and my children were born and raised in Quebec, and you're not going to go to them and say that you're going to find some backdoor way of taking my country or dividing Quebec family against Quebec family. We do have an opportunity, and Quebecers understand this, to build a country which is without parallel, and if you take a look at the way that Canada is measuring up in terms of our economy, in terms of the strength of our social programs, in terms of our independent foreign policy, I believe that we do appeal to the deep attachment, the deep love of this country that Quebecers have and you're not going to win, Mr. Duceppe. Let me tell you that.

Finally, expect Cellucci's book sales to soar with mentions of it from various party leaders including Harper telling Canadians to read page 165. Apparently Cellucci said Martin was going to send Canadian forces into iraq to train iraqi soldiers but instead they decided to train them in Jordan. Scandelous?