Four televised debates scheduled

Can't have an election without debates? Fortunately, we have debates coming for the upcoming election.

The first debate is in Vancouver on December 15 in French. The English debate will be the next night. Each will be broadcast between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. EST and will include videotaped questions for the leaders from voters across the country. The moderator can ask follow-up questions if necessary.

The second set of debates will be either in Gatineau or Montreal for January 9 (English) and January 10 (French), also between 8p and 10p EST. In these debates, the moderators will pose all the questions.

To avoid interruptions during debates from the last campaign, closed mikes will be used this time out.

Five networks will broadcast the debates – CBC, CTV, Global, Radio-Canada and TVA.

The four journalists who will moderate the debates are: veteran broadcast executive Trina McQueen, TVOntario's Steve Paikin, Radio-Canada's Dominique Poirier and TVA's Sophie Thibault.

I don't know if C-SPAN will offer to carry these debates, but if I find out they will, I will pass on the information.