Wednesday, April 16, 2025
 

It's Game On for the French debate — but with an earlier puck drop

The start time of Wednesday's French-language leaders' debate is now 6 p.m. after two federal party leaders requested it not clash with a potentially consequential Montreal Canadiens hockey game.

The change was announced Wednesday after the New Democratic Party and the Bloc Québécois requested the debate be rescheduled rather than compete with what could be the Habs' last chance to clinch a playoff spot.

Both parties expressed concerns that the hockey game, which starts at 7 p.m. ET, would distract viewers from the debate. In a later news release, Radio-Canada said it had decided, in partnership with the Leaders' Debates Commission, to move the event.

Read more of this story.
 

Montreal Canadiens fans sit in the stands ahead Ivan Demidov's NHL debut against the Chicago Blackhawks in Montreal on Monday. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press)

The number of cross-border travellers going from Canada to the U.S. dropped by nearly 900,000 in March compared to the same month last year, according to the latest U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data — easily one of the worst year-over-year drops recorded outside of the COVID-19 health crisis.

The border figures show 4,105,516 travellers crossed the U.S. northern border in March of this year, down from 4,970,360 people who did the same in 2024 — a roughly 17 per cent decline that observers say is largely driven by President Donald Trump's trade war, 51st state taunts and Canada-bashing.

In a sign of just how much southbound travel cratered in recent weeks, more people made the trip from Canada to the U.S. in March 2022, when pandemic-related travel restrictions were still in place, than they did in the same month this year.

The decline is notable because March is typically one of the busiest months for U.S.-bound travel, with many people vacationing over spring break to sunnier climes.

Those calamitous travel figures have some U.S. state officials feeling anxious given just how much Canadians spend south of the 49th parallel.

Read more of this story here.

CBC's Poll Tracker

Last Updated: April 15, 2025, at 9:38 a.m.

CBC's Poll Tracker, run by Éric Grenier of TheWrit.ca, has the latest polling numbers in the federal election campaign. You can click on the photo and check out the full website, complete with seat projections and the percentage chances of each party winning the election.

Here's the latest: The Liberals have held a consistent lead of six or seven points in the national polling average since the second week of the campaign and remain favoured to win a majority government if the election were held today.

The Conservatives are holding at more support than they've had in the last three elections, but it is not high enough to win when the Liberals have picked up so much of the Bloc Québécois and NDP vote. Those two parties are on track for significant seat losses.

Photo of the Day

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh appears at a federal election campaign event in Montreal on Tuesday. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press)

Canada Votes 2025: Answering your questions live

Have a question about Canada’s federal election? Catherine Cullen, host of The House, took your questions on everything from voting to campaign platforms with CBC TikTok producer Ashley Fraser.

What else do you want to know about the federal election? Send an email to ask@cbc.ca.

Listen of the day

Could these debates decide the election?

For political nerds, election debates are like the Stanley Cup finals — the one chance to see leaders from all the major parties face off in real time, and maybe even land a few blows against their opponents. But how much power do these debates have to actually change how people vote? In the lead up to the French and English federal leaders’ debates, hosts Catherine Cullen, Jason Markusoff and Daniel Thibeault unpack the debate moments that make a difference, and the strategy the parties are prepping.

Listen to House Party — a weekly elections series powered by big, burning questions — right here.