Five takeaways from the Quebec leaders debate

Quebeckers gather ahead of Tuesday's party leaders' debate in Montreal. Three French-language debates are scheduled for this week. Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press

Quebec’s five main party leaders tried to sell themselves to voters Tuesday evening in the first debate of an election campaign that has thus far failed to move the needle.

The election is unfolding amid the escalating Canada-U.S. trade war, which dominated the first part of the campaign as the leaders tried to cast themselves as the best defenders of Quebec’s interests.

The Parti Québécois, which has been leading in the polls, has had to defend its promise to hold a third referendum on independence despite low support for sovereignty, especially in the face of threats from U.S. President Donald Trump.

Sovereignty referendum becomes the latest focus of Quebec election campaign

Identity politics fade to the background in Quebec ahead of October’s provincial election