The NDP leadership candidates admitted they need to brush up on their French-language skills when they faced off for the campaign’s first debate in Montreal.

The debate on Thursday began with a plan to have 60 per cent of it take place in French, but most of the conversation happened in English.

Documentarian Avi Lewis and Alberta MP Heather McPherson spoke the most French, while union leader Rob Ashton, social worker Tanille Johnston and organic farmer Tony McQuail worked it in. Ashton pledged to continue building his French skills on about five separate occasions.

One of the five themes of the debate was how to rebuild support and win in Quebec, the province that sent the NDP to the official Opposition benches in the 2011 election.

“If we want to come back in Quebec, we need to speak

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