TABARNAK: Carney flubs question asked in French about French-language debate

Liberal leader Mark Carney has tripped over his mots français and accidentally confirmed he will participate in a $75,000 private French-language debate with other federal leaders. 

The public federal leaders debates have been scheduled for April 16 and 17, in French and English respectively, which all party leaders participate in if they have 4% in the polls 28 days ahead of the debate or hold a seat in Parliament.

However, a third, separate debate has been proposed by private French-language network TVA Nouvelles — one that costs party leaders $75,000 a piece. TVA said it needs at least $300,000 raised from party leaders to off-set the cost of production. 

The Bloc Québécois, Conservatives and the NDP have all confirmed they will participate, reported the CBC. 

Maxime Bernier of the PPC, who is striving to get his party’s numbers up so he can join the two public debates, told the Western Standard he will also debate on TVA. 

According to the Crown broadcaster, Tory leader Pierre Poilievre on Monday in French provoked Carney to debate him on stage at the private debate. 

"If he thinks that the Liberals should have a fourth term after the lost Liberal decade, he should say yes," said Poilievre in French.

Carney during his own press conference on Monday in response to Poilievre’s goading replied, "Why not?" when asked about it by reporters. 

Carney’s misunderstanding of the question caused the Liberals to issue a press release late in the day clarifying Carney is indeed not up for the “face à face” (meaning the “face to face” square off at the French-language debate.”

"He looks forward to participating in the official debates organized by the Leaders' Debates Commission," said campaign spokesperson Guillaume Bertrand, according to the CBC.