Opinion: Debatable results

Wednesday’s provincial leaders’ debate offered good summary of positions, but nothing in way of new information, and certainly no moment that allowed any participant to stand out

Well, at least no one was talking about anyone eating cats and dogs.

Progressive Conservative Leader and Premier Blaine Higgs, Liberal Leader Susan Holt and Green Party Leader David Coon squared off in a CBC-hosted debate Wednesday - but did they really?

Moderators Jacques Poitras and Clare MacKenzie certainly came through with a balanced, fair and controlled debate.

Thanks to the chaos of the American political scene in recent years, and to a lesser degree, the “come at me, bro” tone of our own federal politics as of late, the prospect of a political debate in the leadup to an election can be a daunting one for journalists, the electorate and undoubtedly for the participants.

From left, Liberal Leader Susan Holt, Progressive Conservative Leader and Premier Blaine Higgs and Green Leader David Coon stand ready to answer questions at Wednesday’s leaders’ debate. (Photo: CBC screen capture)

Fortunately, there was no hint of the sort of over-the-top antics in the New Brunswick leaders’ debate Wednesday. Everyone was calm and composed, and there was little in the way of missteps or misunderstandings.

If anything, though, it was too calm and composed. Every answer I heard from each of the three politicians vying for votes was canned and sounded overly rehearsed.