Mandate

What is the Leaders’ Debates Commission?

The Commission is an independent and impartial public body created by Order in Council P.C. 2018-1322 ("OIC") on October 29, 2018 and amended by Order in Council P.C. 2020-0871 ("OIC") on November 5 2020.

Its core mandate is twofold. First, to organize two leaders' debates during each federal general election – one in each official language. Second, to prepare a report to Parliament, following the debates, outlining findings, lessons learned, and recommendations.

The Commission has thus far organized leaders' debates for the 2019 and 2021 federal general elections.

The Commission continues to make debates a more predictable, reliable, and stable element of federal election campaigns.

Mandate

• Organize two leaders' debates during each federal general election, one in each official language, ensure they are available in languages other than French and English and pay special attention to Canada's Indigenous languages;
• Engage a debates producer and ensure the debates are of high quality;
• Set participation criteria, ensure that the leader of each political party that meets those criteria is invited to participate in the debates, and make these participation criteria public;
• Ensure the debates are distributed free of charge, reach as many Canadians as possible, including those living in remote areas and those living with disabilities;
• Engage in public outreach to raise awareness about debates; and
• Prepare a report to Parliament following the next federal general election, outlining findings, lessons learned, and recommendations.

Values

Our day-to-day activities and decision making are guided by the pursuit of the public interest and by the principles of independence, impartiality, transparency, credibility, democratic citizenship, civic education, inclusion and cost effectiveness. We encourage participation and engagement from all Canadians.

Commissioner

The Debates Commissioner is the director of the Leaders' Debates Commission and, in that capacity, conducts the ordinary business of the Commission and is responsible for the hiring of staff for the Secretariat.

Amended OIC 2024-0598, states that in the event of the absence or incapacity of the Debates Commissioner, or of a vacancy in that office, the highest-ranking staff member of the Secretariat of the Commission is authorized to exercise the powers and perform the duties and functions of the Debates Commissioner.