Canada Election 2011 Leaders Debate - Hand Movements and Gestures

OK, I just got through yet another leaders debate. Watching the conflict between the words and hand gestures was actually painful. That said, here's the brief overview and points of interest:

Approximately 9 minutes 30 seconds into debate:
Ignatieff speaks to Harper about the "Waste of public money" while suddenly switching to a hand gesture denoting a very specific point of interest. Investigation on this would likely reveal some very controversial details.

10 minutes into debate:
Harper speaks of "Raise the taxes on 100,000 Canadian businesses, THEY will not pay those taxes, they will pass that onto consumers". While saying "they", Harper gestures towards himself, revealing that he is either associated financially with at least one of those 100,000 businesses, or he views himself as the single person that Canadians pay taxes to. (The latter is more likely, considering his upcoming hand gestures.)

20 minutes in:
Layton says "They supported our small business tax cuts" while suddenly switching from very practiced and controlled hand movements to the very negative extended index finger gesture.

21:30:
Ignatieff starts using tightly closed fists as his main hand gesture. The topic at the time is Canada's role on the "international stage". The closed fist gesture is meant to show strength and forcefulness.

22:30:
Layton's speech about "We should be bringing our troops home from Afghanistan" used obviously phony and practiced gestures. His shoulders were WAY too far back to be natural.

44:00
Harper points to himself while saying "As a minority government" and "That's what this government has done", showing his thoughts of government and himself are basically the same. In other words, he IS the government. (Or at least his political party.)

CONCLUSION:

Harper: (Delusions of grandeur)
The strongest and best hand gestures for the debate, but like those of a CEO at a board meeting. Believes that HE is the party.

Ignatieff: (Delusions of being Canadian)
Uses fairly natural hand movements and gestures, but in a very practiced way (as if in front of a mirror). His common closed fists gesture shows that his platform is based on a show of personal strength and power.

Layton: (Delusions of being believable)
Layton used very grandiose gestures throughout the debate, especially as an attack on both Harper and Ignatieff. The result was a very weak series of hand movements, not at all like his usual practiced and overconfident gestures.

Duceppe: (Delusions of being an actual candidate)
While his hand gestures were by far the most natural and believable, his often pointed index finger reveals a rampant ego and judgmental attitude. Sure you can believe the words, but is that really what anyone would want???

2008 Leaders Debate - Analysis of Hand Movements & Gestures

Federal election time is here again in Canada. As usual I'll be observing and commenting on the party leaders' hand movements and gestures during their English language debates.

Report on the October 2 Leaders Debate:

This debate was rather painful to watch. Powerful individuals seeking the office of Prime Minister of Canada, but each with hand movements and gestures that were very negative, weak, deceptive, or all three.


Stephen Harper (Conservative)

Harper's hand movements and gestures have improved dramatically since the last election in 2006. He rarely used the (very negative) extended index finger gesture anymore - Far different to watch than last election.

His hand movements and gestures continued to show distinct personality weaknesses, however. His thumbs fell inside the hands easily and repeatedly (showing broken will, and not thinking for himself), and the left hand was held dominant when clasping his hands and interlacing the fingers (showing self-limiting attitudes and behaviors).


Stephane Dion (Liberal)

Dion's hand movements made it clear in the opening few minutes that his entire position on this election debate is "We have a plan." Each time he mentioned "the plan", his hands were being held about 10 inches apart as if he was holding a ball (shows a single or core issue).

When clasping his hands with fingers interlaced, Dion positioned his left hand on top, or dominant (self-limiting attitudes and behaviors).


Jack Layton (NDP)

Layton once again showed very scripted and practiced hand movements and gestures. He rarely moved any finger on its own, but rather kept them together and extended with open hands. Normally this would be considered a very positive and powerful way to gesture, but that is certainly not the case when it's just an obvious facade. Occasionally his fingers could be seen to move in natural gestures, and more than once that natural gesture was the extended index finger with the thumb contracted inside the hand (shows rampant Ego and placing blame on others, with no acceptance of personal responsibility).


Gilles Duceppe (Bloc)

Duceppe's hand movements and gestures were by far the worst of all the 5 debating leaders. His resting hand position was frequently held with fingers interlaced and left hand dominant (self-limiting attitudes and behaviors), and one of his most common gestures was waving and pointing the extended index finger (rampant Ego, placing blame on others, and no acceptance of personal responsibility).


Elizabeth May (Green Party)

May was the only party leader whose hand movements and gestures were basically natural and honest, rather than practiced and scripted. Unfortunately they were not strong and positive gestures. Everything from the "patting on the head" gesture (condescending or treating others like children), to the extended index finger being pointed at others. On the plus side, when she extended her index finger she usually had the thumb extended with it (still shows rampant Ego, but at least with some acceptance of personal responsibility).


Conclusion:

Based solely on their hands, the debate winner was clearly Jack Layton, with Elizabeth May running a distant 2nd. Layton's gestures may have been practiced and scripted, and also weak and without personal responsibility, but at least an effort to use positive hand movements was there. If he continues to use positive hand positions and gestures, perhaps the strength and integrity usually shown by his hands will spread to the rest of his life and personality, and not remain just a facade.