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So, let’s not do that again, shall we?

The French debate, as it is routinely called, was broadcast live on all the main French-language networks, including Radio-Canada, in the traditional “consortium” manner. It had all the virtues of that approach — large reach, comprehensive coverage — and all the defects, notably the tendency of everyone to shout over each other.

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This is not necessary, but neither is it accidental. The rules could easily be set up to prevent it — the moderator could simply be given a mute button, or perhaps a stun gun — but he or she isn’t because the people organizing these events think it makes for “great TV.” In fact, it makes for unwatchable TV, especially for those watching in simultaneous translation: not just five people talking at once, but 10.

But that’s not my complaint, because this wasn’t the French debate. It was, once again, the Quebec debate. It always is. Though Canada is officially bilingual, though there are French Canadians living in every province — more than one million of them hors Québec — the French debate traditionally concerns itself neither with the issues and interests of the country at large, nor with those of French-speaking Canadians in particular, but almost entirely with those of francophone Quebec.