Debate moderator Patrice Roy announced that the political clash was going to start two hours earlier than originally planned
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By Christopher Nardi
Published Apr 15, 2025
Last updated 2hours ago
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MONTREAL — They may not have qualified for the NHL playoffs yet, but the Montreal Canadiens scored a win Tuesday against the French-language debate which will now begin two hours early tomorrow to accommodate a key Habs game.
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French debate moderator Patrice Roy announced on social media Tuesday that the political clash was going to start two hours earlier than originally planned — 6 p.m. instead of 8 p.m. — to avoid too much overlap with the Canadiens game that evening.
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That’s because the Habs will be playing a likely make-or-break playoff qualification game against the Carolina Hurricanes starting at 7 p.m. Wednesday. If they win, the team revered by many Quebecers will qualify for the NHL playoffs.
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Ironically, the change of schedule could prove to be useless if the Columbus Blue Jackets — the only team that could still knock the Canadiens out of the playoff picture — lose to the Philadelphia Flyers Tuesday evening.
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Tuesday, NDP leader Jagmeet Singh and Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet said they were concerned that the potentially crucial hockey game would pull significant amount of eyeballs away from the French language debate.
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“We’re asking people—especially in Quebec—to choose between a critical democraticdebateand cheering on the Habs in a must-win game. This kind of political discussion shouldn’t compete with something that means so much to so many,” Singh said in a statement requesting the debate be held at another time.
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His statement noted that the French debate was rescheduled in 2011 to avoid conflicting with a playoff clash between the Canadiens and the Boston Bruins, who would go on to win the Stanley Cup.
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