FACE-À-FACE 2022 — Conservative leadership candidates will converge tonight in the vast Montreal suburb of Laval, where they will cross swords in the contest's final official debate. The clash in Quebec will be far different from the candidates' earlier showdowns in the reste-du-Canada cities of Ottawa and Edmonton. No longer in Canada anglais , they will have to make their pitches (and attack each other) in French. That's easier said than done for some of them. Here are five ways the French-language debate will be different: → First one's obvious — it'll be in French: Debating in French is likely to be the biggest challenge for several contestants — perhaps by a long shot. In the Conservatives' 2020 French-language leadership debate, LESLYN LEWIS 's poor grasp of the language forced her to carefully read statements prepared in advance. Lewis is the only returning candidate, so it remains to be seen how much her French has improved. The debate will give ROMAN BABER, SCOTT AITCHISON and PATRICK BROWN the chance to show off their skills. JEAN CHAREST and PIERRE POILIEVRE, widely viewed as the two frontrunners, are both completely bilingual — and will be at ease on stage. Conservative strategist RUDY HUSNY tells Playbook he'll also be watching for changes in how candidates conduct themselves during the event. "I've always said that you don't speak in English the same way you do in French," said Husny, who has prepped politicians for debates. "In French, sometimes it's expected that you show more emotion or passion in arguing your (positions)... In English, you don't do it as much." → Poilievre vs. Charest, Round 3: Without any language hurdles to slow them down, expect Poilievre and Charest to square off once again and to command much of the floor. What will be interesting this time is how they go about it given their audience. For starters, it will be home turf for Charest, who spent nearly a decade as Quebec premier. He comes into the event as a known quantity in the province — and he will likely argue that, as leader, he would make crucial gains in Quebec. But he will also carry some baggage. Charest's provincial Liberals were defeated in 2012 amid allegations of corruption within his government. Adding to the sting, he lost his own seat. Poilievre, a Calgary native who has represented an Ottawa-area riding for 18 years, will want to show that he can drum up a lot of support in Quebec as well. He will look to carry momentum into the debate following campaign rallies in the province over the weekend. → Quebec's Bill 21: The contestants should be ready to debate the province's controversial secularism law. Bill 21 prohibits civil servants in authority roles, such as teachers, police officers and judges, from wearing religious symbols, like a hijab or turban, on the job. The law has been challenged in court. Polls have shown strong public support for the law in Quebec, but much less backing in the rest of the country. Federal leaders are frequently tested on how they think Ottawa should respond to a bill whose opponents claim tramples on religious freedom. Candidates like Brown, Lewis and Charest have been outspoken about their opposition to Bill 21 — and Charest has said he would intervene if the law is challenged at the Supreme Court of Canada. Husny said Poilievre has followed approaches similar to former leaders ERIN O'TOOLE and ANDREW SCHEER in saying he doesn't like it, but he wouldn't intervene in provincial jurisdiction. It's tricky terrain. Husny argues that Quebecers may not be too offended if one of their own, like Charest, goes after the law. But he adds if a non-Quebecer were to take the same position they might be viewed as an outsider trying to impose something on the province. Another controversial piece of legislation, Bill 96, could also end up on tonight's agenda. The bill, which was passed Tuesday in Quebec's National Assembly, imposes tougher French-language requirements in the province. Critics say it discriminates against Quebec's English-speaking minority. → 'Freedom' truckers: Another dividing line between some of the candidates is whether they support the Freedom Convoy, which saw truckers spend weeks occupying downtown Ottawa. Lewis, Baber and Poilievre, for example, have been vocal supporters of the movement, while Charest has condemned it as an illegal protest. Husny said there are signs the convoy, which was fueled in large part by opposition to vaccine and mask mandates, has the potential to move votes in Quebec. He noted that ÉRIC DUHAIME, leader of the provincial Conservatives, has rapidly expanded his party's membership base by taking strong positions against pandemic measures imposed by governments. Polls, however, muddy the picture. They've shown that 68 percent of voters in Quebec opposed the trucker blockades. → Pipeline politics: In English Canada, Conservatives have an easy time pushing for the construction of new pipelines, Husny said. Quebec is a different story. For the most part, Quebecers have long opposed any plans to build new pipelines that would carry oil and gas across the province. One energy topic that is certain to come up is GNL Québec's Énergie Saguenay liquefied natural gas project, which the federal and Quebec governments rejected for failing to do enough on social and environmental fronts. Poilievre and Charest have both said Russia's war on Ukraine has changed the landscape — and that they would support the C$14-billion project as prime minister. Do you enjoy Ottawa Playbook? Maybe you know others who may like it, too. Hit forward. Click here to sign up to this free newsletter. | 
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