Monday night鈥檚 foreign policy leaders鈥� debate was a feisty one, with all three major party leaders fighting to show Canadians that they are best suited to represent the country on the world stage.
From tributes to zingers, here are some highlights from the debate.
Trudeau鈥檚 tribute to his father
Early on the debate, NDP Leader Tom Mulcair criticized Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau鈥檚 father鈥檚 response to the October Crisis in 1970, when Pierre Elliot Trudeau enacted the War Measures Act, giving police the power to arrest people without warrant.
Trudeau quickly defended his father鈥檚 values and legacy, including his support for the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, multiculturalism and bilingualism.
鈥淭hroughout this campaign in direct references and indirect references, both of these gentlemen (Conservative Leader Stephen Harper and Mulcair) have at various points attacked my father,鈥� said Trudeau. 鈥淟et me say very clearly: I am incredibly proud to be Pierre Elliot Trudeau鈥檚 son and am incredibly lucky to have been raised with those values.鈥�
He also used the moment as an opportunity to call attention to the significance of Monday鈥檚 date.
鈥淚t鈥檚 quite emotional for me right now to be here talking about him because it was 15 years ago tonight that he passed away,鈥� said Trudeau. 鈥淎nd I know that he wouldn鈥檛 want us to be fighting the battles of the past. He鈥檇 want us squarely focused on the future.鈥�
The crowd burst into applause after Trudeau鈥檚 comments.
Questioning the value of citizenship
One of the most heated exchanges of the night took place between Trudeau and Harper on the issue of revoking Canadian citizenship from convicted terrorists.
It comes just days after it was announced became the first Canadian to have his citizenship revoked under Bill C-24, a controversial law passed last spring. Over the weekend, the
Trudeau maintained his position Monday night, saying Canadians should be worried about a prime minister who can revoke citizenship. Harper questioned Trudeau鈥檚 judgement on the issue.
鈥淎re you seriously saying, Mr. Trudeau, you will never be able to revoke citizenship from somebody? Is that your position?鈥� said Harper, looking directly at Trudeau. 鈥淲hy would we not revoke the citizenship of people convicted of terrorist offences against this country?鈥�
Trudeau dove in, accusing Harper of playing up the politics of fear.
鈥淎 Canadian, is a Canadian, is a Canadian. You devalue the citizenship of every Canadian in this place and in this country when you break down and make it conditional for anyone,鈥� he said.
Trudeau then said those convicted of terrorism offenses should be in jail -- a remark that was met with some boos.
Be afraid of ISIS, not CSIS
A good portion of Monday鈥檚 two-hour debate focused on the government鈥檚 recently-passed anti-terror bill, C-51. The legislation has been criticized by experts for undermining civil liberties and for its lack of parliamentary oversight of Canada鈥檚 security bodies.
The NDP and Liberals attacked Harper for the law鈥檚 infringement on civil liberties, to which Harper issued a snappy response that the crowd seemed to like.
鈥淭he threat we face today is not CSIS, it is ISIS,鈥� said Harper.
The Conservative leader continued to vigorously defend his government鈥檚 legislation, while Mulcair attacked Trudeau for supporting the law that he says is a 鈥渞eal threat to our rights and freedoms.鈥�
Mocking Harper
One of the most animated moments of the night was Trudeau鈥檚 attempt to mock Harper鈥檚 security concerns and Bill C-51.
鈥淢r. Harper, as we all know, in C-51, wants us to afraid that there鈥檚 a terrorist hiding behind every leaf and rock around us and we need to be afraid and that鈥檚 why he鈥檚 there to protect us,鈥� said Trudeau, as the crowd laughed.
鈥淔ortunately, the podiums are transparent.鈥�
Mulcair鈥檚 zinger
As the debate began to wind down, a calm Mulcair used the opportunity to deliver one last zinger. The one-liner came as Trudeau tried to criticize Mulcair鈥檚 announcement of his climate change plan on Sunday.
鈥淎s you announced with tremendous strength and pomp, your climate change plan --,鈥� said Trudeau, as Mulcair interrupted.
鈥淥h, I鈥檒l leave the pomp to you, Justin,鈥� said Mulcair.
Trudeau paused for a moment, shrugged the remark off, and finished his point.
