Canada

And so clearly illustrated by this quote from spokesman Kory Teneycke:

"The prime minister is the prime minister, he's leading in the polls right now, and if the opposition leaders want to debate the prime minister, they know where he is," he said.

"If they don't, because they're scared, then they won't."

I agree that they'll try -- and possibly already have tried -- to change the ground rules.

If the other parties go it alone, they run the risk of tearing each other down so much that the cons will look like the only reasonable choice. On the other hand, lacking the distraction of Harper in the debate, Mulcair might have a better chance of presenting his message and distinguishing himself above the others. Whatever happens, expect the cons to use the most outrageous out-of-context debate clips to smear their opponents.