Canada election 2015: The 'rigorous' path of debate prep

When Stphane Dionparticipatedinmockdebatesin preparation for the real thing duringthe 2008 electioncampaign, the former Liberal leadersaid those playing his political opponents went after him withfull force.

"Of course they did. I would have been unhappy otherwise," Dion said.

• Barrage of ads has only just begun
• Tom Mulcair says Stephen Harper is 'weak and vulnerable' on tradetalks
• 'Justin Trudeau' not the name on everyone's lips
• In this election campaign, the only constant is 'change'

It's just part of theprocess that most if not all of the federal party leaders will have endured when they hit the stage Thursday night for the first campaign debate.

"They will have been in a rigorousdebate prep processthat'sbeen in place formonths, not weeks," saidScott Reid, former senior adviser to Paul Martin.

Reid said hehas seen "a couple of leaders subjected to intense, tough, punishing rehearsals where their mock opponents really beat the living tar out of them."

Each candidate will have prepared in a way best suited to his or her own style, but the overallpreparationis likely similar among the different camps, Reid said. The debate prep usuallybegins with assembling a team oftrusted advisers, adding some outsiders to the mix, then moving people in and out in case they don't quite click with the rest of the team, or more importantly, the leader.

Then it's coming up with goals does the candidate want to get by or decisively win and assemblinga playbook or briefingbinder thatincludesdebate cards categorized into different issues.

Dion, for example,said his debate binders includedthe main issues,the different parties' answers to those issues, how his opponents would attack his answers, and how he should respond.

Don't 'look as if you're memorizing'

But Dion said it was also important to have written the answers outin his own words, "because you should not lookas if you'rememorizing when you're in a debate."

Initially, preparation sessions would be limited to about once a week, Reidsaid, or twice a month, usuallytaking place ona Sunday afternoon, or when there's some downtime.

All the while, the team strives foraconsensus onobjectives,thestrengths,weaknesses, challenges and opportunitiesof theparticularcandidate, Reidsaid.And then, as the election nears,rehearsal time isbooked.

That's forthe mock debates, where the candidate faces off againststaff or party members playing the roles of the other party leaders.

"You can sit around the table, compare notes, havecandidatesroll offanswers, allof thatkind of thing," Reid said. "Butuntil people have been forced to experience thephysicalityof the event, they won'tthoroughlyappreciatewhat success must look like.

"Getting themimmersedinthesetting is critically important. If they're just going toblowit off and say, 'I'm just going to look at my book, andthat's all, and I'mgoingto be OK,' they'll face-plant."

Part of the mock debate process enables strategists to view their candidate's body languagedo they fidget, use their hands too much,arethey looking at their opponent, looking at the camera?It's also aboutgetting the candidate accustomed to the format (sitting or standing) and prepared for thetime constraintof answers.

"You're rehearsing with your candidates to make them crisper and more focused and pare away theextraneouswordsthatare distracting oreat up the clock," said David McLaughlin, the former chief of staff to Brian Mulroney.

Dion said a mock debate also gives acandidate the opportunity toimprovise.

"Duringthe mock debate I mayimprovisesomething that is good. Then we'll stop and discuss: 'Was it the best answer?' 'I'm surprised you saidthat.' Or, 'It may be badly interpreted.'

"This kind of situation will lead the team to interrupt the debate and to discuss what Ijustsaid."

It's also a good time to practise theso-calledzinger that biting, witty line that will knock anopponent down a pegand attract some good media buzz.

"If we have apunchline, the leader will practise it. And if we anticipate [an opponent's]punchline,we need a counterpunch and we need to practiseit too,"Dionsaid.

'Inner of the inner circle'

A mock debate alsomeans that staff or party members will be put in the possibly awkwardposition of slammingtheir leader over politicallysensitive subjects.

"Thepeoplein the debate room are the inner of the inner circle,"McLaughlin said. "They'rethefew of the trusted few.

"You needa candidatewho is self-confidentenoughto takecriticismsand you needstaffwho are self-assuredenoughto givecriticisms, whilebeingsensitiveenough toknowwhen to pump up thecandidateas well ascriticizethe candidate."

Reid said that one person he did debate prep forwas consistently uncomfortable with candid feedback.

"Theydid notfinish well."

But the intense and hostile criticism of a mock debate can go too far, andReid said in one instanceithadthe effect of rattling the candidate'sconfidence.

"You've got tobe sensitive to the moodand dynamicsofthe candidatein order to get the candidatein the zone," McLaughlin said.