Breaking down the candidates' body language during the English-language debate

Body language expert on debate performance Body language expert Mark Bowden breaks down the performances of the federal leaders in the English-language debate.

TORONTO — What a politician's body is doing during a debate can say a lot about their performance. When the federal party leaders traded blows during Thursday's English-language debate, viewers had a chance to see how they could handle moments of high stress.

Mark Bowden, a body language expert and author of "Truth & Lies: What People Are Really Thinking," followed the debate and identified key moments when the leaders were either bolstered or betrayed by their own body movements.

When asked what he would have done differently in Afghanistan, Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole went after Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau for calling an election, accusing him of putting his "own political interests ahead of the well-being of thousands of people."

Bowden said O'Toole's body language during his response made his answer seem more clear and assured. He added that on this question, the asymmetry of Trudeau and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh's gestures made them look more undecided.

"When we go to Trudeau, more asymmetrical, more destabilized by it," said Bowden. "The same with Singh, more asymmetrical and some shoulder shrugs going in there. I think there's a little bit of stress and anxiety around siding with O'Toole on this one."

Another moment that stood out to Bowden was Green Party Leader Annamie Paul's "jaw drop" reaction to Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet discussing Indigenous reconciliation: "That nonverbal hit on him around 'I can't believe what you said' causes him to have to plead for something nonverbal and conceptual. 'I just haven't had enough time. It's just not fair,' he says."

Watch Mark Bowden break down the leaders' body language from other key moments of the English-language debate

Interview conducted by Jeremiah Rodriguez. Video editing by Alexandre Bachaalani.