The four candidates vying to lead the federal N-D-P kept things civil during their first debate. Guy Caron, Charlie Angus, Niki Ashton and Peter Julian jovially sparred — in both French and English — over issues ranging from free trade talks to dealing with U-S President Donald Trump. They also addressed such light-hearted topics as favourite films, foods, music and winter sports. But the key to Sunday’s discussion in Ottawa was how the N-D-P can recover from the nasty bruising it took in the last election.