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Leaders' Debates Commission issues its participation criteria for next federal general election

January 14, 2025 – Ottawa (Ontario)

Today, the Leaders’ Debates Commission announces the participation criteria for the next federal leaders' debates.

The criteria align with the Commission’s mandate which says that leaders' debates should "benefit from the participation of the leaders who have the greatest likelihood of becoming Prime Minister or whose political parties have the greatest likelihood of winning seats in Parliament.”

In order to be invited by the Commission to participate in the leaders’ debates, a leader of a registered political party must meet two of the following criteria:

(i): on the date the general election is called, the party is represented in the House of Commons by a Member of Parliament who was elected as a member of that party.

(ii): 28 days before the date of the general election, the party receives a level of national support of at least 4%, determined by voting intention, and as measured by leading national public opinion polling organizations, using the average of those organizations' most recently publicly reported results.

(iii): 28 days before the date of the general election, the party has endorsed candidates in at least 90% of federal ridings.

Paths to participation

Political parties that have a Member of Parliament in the House of Commons on the date the general election is called must receive a level of national support of at least 4% in national public opinion polls 28 days before the date of the general election or have endorsed candidates in at least 90% of federal ridings 28 days before the date of the general election to qualify for the debates.

Political parties that are not represented by a Member of Parliament in the House of Commons on the date the general election is called must receive a level of national support of at least 4% in national public opinion polls 28 days before the date of the general election and have endorsed candidates in at least 90% of federal ridings 28 days before the date of the general election to qualify for the debates.

Michel Cormier, Executive Director of the Leaders' Debates Commission, said:

"These criteria balance realized and potential for electoral success. They measure both electability and viability and they serve the public interest and the voting public by ensuring the leaders invited on the debate stage represent a current picture of the country’s political forces at play at the time of the next general election. They are simple, clear, objective and measurable.”

Before releasing the participation criteria for the next general election, the Commission reviewed earlier consultations and feedback received before and after the 2019 and 2021 general elections, undertook new consultations with registered political parties and a range of stakeholders in Canada, and engaged with debate organizers internationally.

Inviting party leaders

The Commission will issue invitations to party leaders that meet the participation criteria 27 days before Election Day. The decision date is tied to Election Day to ensure that the length of the next general election campaign, whether long or short, is taken into account.

With regards to criterion (ii), the Commission will select the latest published public opinion polls based on the quality of the methodology employed, the reputation of the polling organizations, and the frequency and timeliness of the polling conducted. The Commission will be assisted in this effort by a group of eminent academic polling experts.

With regards to criterion (iii), political parties intending to rely on this criterion will need to submit to the Commission a list of candidates they have endorsed in federal ridings no later than 28 days before Election Day. This list must come from the chief agent of the political party responsible for reporting the party’s endorsements to Elections Canada.

For more information, view our participation criteria for the next leaders’ debates.

About the Leaders' Debates Commission

The Leaders' Debates Commission is an independent and impartial public body mandated is to organize two leaders' debates in each federal general election that are in the public interest, one in each official language, while paying special attention to Canada's Indigenous languages. The Commission is responsible for setting out production, promotion, and distribution requirements for the leaders' debates, while respecting journalistic independence for the content of the debates as well as setting participation criteria for the debates.

Contact:
media-medias@debates-debats.ca

Website: www.debates-debats.ca
X: @debates_can / @debats_can

Date modified: January 14, 2025