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       Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau speaks during the French-language leaders' debate in Gatineau, Que., on Sept. 8.

       Justin Tang/The Canadian Press

       Twelve days to go, and Justin Trudeau knows he needs to get some traction before it’s too late. On Wednesday, the second French-language debate of the campaign saw an assertive Liberal Leader who jumped in front of the cameras.

       This was a different Mr. Trudeau – at least in style – than the one seen circling around his answers over much of the campaign. He was more combative, pushing himself into exchanges with the aggressiveness of a candidate who is running out of time.

       Challenged by Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-Fran？ois Blanchet, who favours suspending the Canada Recovery Benefit to alleviate a labour shortage, Mr. Trudeau insisted that income supports didn’t cause the problem.

       Asked by a citizen-questioner – Bernadette Landry of Dieppe, N.B. – what each federal leader will do to make sure provincial governments take care of seniors in long-term care, the Liberal Leader answered that a Liberal government would fund the hiring of 50,000 personal support workers.

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       No, Mr. Trudeau didn’t have a straight answer to every question. But he did look straight into the camera nearly every time and punch out a response.

       A question about vaccination mandates was directed at Mr. Trudeau, but you got the feeling he was going to interrupt even if it wasn’t. He rejected the idea that his support for vaccine restrictions had encouraged division and protests.

       “This is a false debate,” he said. “There is no longer a debate about whether vaccination is the way to get through this.”

       He didn’t just express support for federal requirements that would bar the unvaccinated from air and rail travel, but also for vaccine passports for gyms and restaurants. He argued that encouragement is one thing, but that the unvaccinated have to feel it is in their interests to get the jab.

       There was another leader on the stage who largely agrees – NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh – but Mr. Trudeau managed to suck up the oxygen on that side of the argument.

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       Mr. Trudeau looks on as Green Party Leader Annamie Paul makes a point during the debate.

       POOL/Reuters

       Green Party Leader Annamie Paul accused the Liberal Leader of divisive politics, and so did Mr. Blanchet, while Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole insisted rapid tests can be used for the unvaccinated. Mr. Trudeau jumped in for the comebacks.

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       That’s not to say Mr. Trudeau had it his way.

       Mr. Singh kept launching barbs, suggesting that the Liberal Leader is all talk and no action. Mr. Blanchet accused Mr. Trudeau of both starving provinces for health care funding and intruding on Quebec’s jurisdiction when he does transfer cash. Ms. Paul looked into the camera and said Quebeckers have a chance to change course after six years of failure on climate change policy.

       And all of them knocked back the Liberal Leader more than once on the question that has dogged Mr. Trudeau: Why did you call this election?

       But there was no doubt Mr. Trudeau was getting to have his say. When Mr. Blanchet asked him why he thinks he can tell the Quebec nation “what to think,” the Liberal Leader laughed, then launched into a tirade that started with, “Because I am a Quebecker.”

       Meanwhile, his chief opponent in this campaign, Mr. O’Toole, suffered a few knocks.

       The burning question that Mr. O’Toole dodged in first French-language debate last week was whether he would rip up the $6-billion child-care deal that Mr. Trudeau’s government struck with Quebec in early August. Just two hours before Wednesday’s debate, the Conservatives had released the costing figures for their platform, which made it clear the child-care deals with Quebec and seven other jurisdictions would be cancelled.

       Mr. O’Toole’s argument that the Conservatives would provide tax credits directly to vulnerable Quebec families led Mr. Trudeau to remark that it’s no surprise the Tory Leader doesn’t know that low-income Quebeckers already receive subsidized child care – but that many are waiting for a spot for their child, which would be funded by the August deal. Mr. Blanchet piped in that he was anxious to hear Mr. O’Toole express his affection for Quebec after proposing to cut $6-billion in transfers.

       None of the exchanges brought a breakthrough moment that elicited some new, game-changing statement, or an iconic confrontation that will turn the campaign on its head.

       But the debate featured a Liberal Leader determined to push his way to the centre of the stage. After 25 days of a listless campaign, during which he has struggled to articulate his reason for calling the election, this was a Justin Trudeau in a hurry to make his case.

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