Politics·Video

Peter Mansbridge's interviews with the federal party leaders

Peter Mansbridge, CBC News's chief correspondent, sat down with each of the four main party leaders ahead of the federal election.

'What is it about you, that you feel should make you a prime minister?'

Stephen Harper, Tom Mulcair, Justin Trudeau and Elizabeth May sat with Peter Mansbridge for exclusive interviews ahead of the Oct. 19 election. (CBC News)

CBC News's chief correspondent Peter Mansbridge sat down for exclusive one-on-one interviews with each of the main federal party leaders in advance of the election on Oct. 19.

The aim: to give voters a better sense of the leaders themselves and their politics. 

"The premise is simple; the execution a challenge," Mansbridge writes

"We requested the same thing from each of the parties: a full 30 minutes with their leaders, uninterrupted in a venue of their choice, but away from the campaign trail, away from the rallies and the whistle-stops and the media buses.

"The interviews would be wide-ranging. No topic was off limits, and, as with every one we do, no questions were provided beforehand."

One question that was particularly tricky for each of the leaders: "​What is it about you, that you feel should make you a prime minister?" The answers are surprising.

Watch all the interviews below. The videos appear in the order the interviews originally aired on CBC's The National

Stephen Harper

Justin Trudeau Interview with Peter Mansbridge

9 years ago
Duration 30:03
Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau sits down with Peter Mansbridge for an exclusive interview.

Justin Trudeau

Tom Mulcair Interview with Peter Mansbridge

9 years ago
Duration 32:46
NDP Leader Tom Mulcair sits down for an exclusive interview with Peter Mansbridge.

Tom Mulcair

Elizabeth May Interview with Peter Mansbridge

9 years ago
Duration 24:39
Green Party Leader Elizabeth May sits down with Peter Mansbridge for an exclusive interview.

Elizabeth May