The result of a modern debate is always something of a blur. But what this year's encounters underlined is that this election is primarily about both two very different candidates for prime minister and two very different ideas of what the greatest threat to the country actually is.

Carney, a Harvard-educated technocrat two months into his political career, has capitalized on his image as a steady hand at the tiller in an economic storm.

Prime Minister Mark Carney said Thursday eliminating trade barriers within Canada would benefit Canadians far more than U.S. President Donald Trump can ever take away with his trade war as he made his case to retain power at the last debate ahead of the April 28 vote.