Jack Layton was interpreted in the French-language debate by a Scotsman – and the Twitter-verse lit up instantly when the NDP Leader first began to speak.
Having his one-on-ones, barbs and jabs at Stephen Harper and the other leaders translated by a man with a very distinct accent was novel. And of course, this being politics, the source of much amusement.
“Jock McLayton,” one person tweeted. Another said Mr. Layton sounded like he walked right out of the Mel Gibson’s Braveheart and others noted the debate featured “a Scottish Jack Layton.” There was a suggestion that “there is no job Sean Connery will not take” and that “at any moment now, Layton’s translator is going to declare war on England.”
Someone weighed in that they thought he was Irish – not a Scot.
The NDP didn’t mind. “It was hilarious,” campaign spokesperson Kathleen Monk said. “The comments were so funny last night on Twitter. He was great.”
She added quickly, however, “I still want to credit Mr. Layton for his performance, not the translator.”
Curiously, everything that happens at the debates is decided by draws conducted with the broadcast consortium , from the private time for the leaders to see the set on April 12 to their arrival times at the Government Conference Centre, their dressing room assignments and the timing and order of appearance at the post-debate scrums. They draw for their podium positions, their one-on-one portion of the debates and the order of their closing statements.
But not the translators.
“The consortium does not determine who is assigned to this work,” spokesman Marco Dubé said Thursday. “We hire the interpreters thru PWGSC – Official Languages Bureau. We have an initial meeting and review our requirements with them.”
The Public Works bureau assigns their staff, figuring out amongst themselves who is the best fit for which leader.
“The group working English to French is not necessarily the same team that works from French to English,” Mr. Dubé added.
The NDP is pretty happy all around – two debates in which Mr. Layton was hailed by pundits and observers as putting on a good show.
Add to that recent Nanos Research polls show Mr. Layton is the strongest federalist alternative in Quebec. He has coattails in the province, pollster Nik Nanos said, referring to poll of 700 Quebec voters conducted between April 6 and April 12. In addition, the horse race numbers show the NDP’s support in the province is up considerably from the 2008 election.
The NDP Leader has one seat in the province, but is hoping for more.
And that’s why Mr. Layton is in Montreal Thursday and Friday. He travels to PEI and Newfoundland after that, and then back into Quebec again. “We’re looking to build that momentum,” Ms. Monk said.
