For several weeks, I had been looking forward to watching the Canadian federal party leaders debate in the French language. In my diary, in ink, for over two weeks. Prime time on April 16, at 8 p.m.

The nature of the beast in our unique and much-admired country demands that our prime ministers have at least a basic ability in both official languages. All indications are that the upcoming years will be dominated by trade and tariff upheavals, and almost certain geopolitical turmoil caused by Donald Trump.

Our choice of leader will be so important. Critical indeed.

Prime Minister Mark Carney has one of the most impressive resumes we have ever seen in Canada. Educationally and professionally. Can we agree on that point? Our local candidate is well qualified and hard-working, and the voting decision on election day will be difficult.

But, before I vote on April 28, I wanted to determine for myself whether the good people of Quebec would consider Carney a “bon gars” who could communicate acceptably with them in French. Had he at least made the effort to become bilingual?

It’s tough to learn another language, especially as an adult. I know. Years ago, in 1976, I moved to Outremont, a delightful area of Montreal, traditionally regarded as French-speaking.

I encouraged my friends there to speak French in my presence, not to default to English. I played a lot of tennis, mostly with Quebecois, and went to functional bilingualism night school classes three evenings each week.

 It was tough and a real commitment. Yes, it was worth the effort.

Montrealers then and now don’t expect bilingual perfection, but “If you are going to live and play here, at least make an honest effort to learn French.” Fair enough, in my opinion.

In the past, federal leadership candidates like Ken Dryden and Belinda Stronach face-planted by not making much of an effort to learn French. Their linguistic weakness turned the voters in Quebec against them, and their candidacies were short-circuited. (At least make an effort, eh?)

So earlier this week, I made certain that I would be able to watch the federal leaders’ French language debate. I had been convinced by the media and punsters that Mark Carney’s Achilles’ heel was his weakness in French.

I was determined to watch and listen, and personally decide whether frontrunner Mark Carney, the leader in the polls, could “get by” in what is obviously his second language.

Imagine our frustration as we tried to find the “debate” on television (and by the way, it wasn’t a debate. Rather, a series of previously scripted questions and mostly prepared responses. Then, a bit of verbal give and take).

During the day of the debate, I learned second-hand that this important program had been rescheduled to 6 p.m. Then, it got confusing.

Attempting to find the debate just after 6 p.m., we had to work at it, scrolling and flipping channels. Eventually phoning a few friends. The bottom line was that the time for this very important and well-promoted event had been changed late in the process — that very morning. From 8 p.m. to 6 p.m.!

First things first in Canada. And especially in Quebec. I love my country Canada, but sometimes I have to shake my head and chuckle.

Just try to imagine the serious discussions, polling and angst as everyone attempted to read the room, and make the scheduling decision that would please the most people. Or upset the least people. Especially in Quebec.

My goodness, the television people exclaimed. Would the majority of viewers rather watch a very serious debate that will affect the future of our Canadian democracy, or a Montreal Canadiens hockey game that could get the Habs into the playoffs?

This created a very major conflict in Quebec and Canada.

Finding a compromise became the order of the day, and eventually, the Canadian thing was done.

The morning of the federal leaders’ debate, and now a very important hockey game, it was decided that the federal leaders’ debate, in French, would be moved ahead two hours. Voila, problem solved.

Tenaciously searching, we found the politicians “debating” in French at about 6:15 p.m. I watched much more carefully than is my habit. Anxious to answer my question about Prime Minister Carney’s French.

I understand the debate was made available in 15 languages.

Concluding, I now strongly believe that Prime Minister Carney proved he has made a huge effort to become functionally bilingual. As busy and high-achieving as he has been, he is to be respected.

Only in Canada, you say?