The first one-on-one Quebec election debate took place Monday evening with Premier Jean Charest going up against the current frontrunner: the Parti Quebecois' Pauline Marois.

The debate topics: governance, followed by social policy, the Quebec economy and the question of national identity.

Marois targeted Premier Charest for what she says is the Liberal leaders’ failed ability to govern the province and for calling an election before the return of the Charbonneau Commission.

On social policy, Charest said he would stand firm on his party's plan to raise university tuition while Pauline Marois, if given a majority, said she would abolish the hike.

The PQ leader was also quick to blame Charest for the $250 billion provincial debt saying that the Premier added over a third of it during his time in office.

On the question of Quebec identity, Premier Charest criticized the PQ's 'Charter of Secularism,' which he says will bring a new wave of state discrimination to the province.

Marois: still no English debate

Although she was content with her performance, Marois reiterated once again that she won't be committing to an English-language debate any time soon.

"You know... the official language in Quebec is French, so there will not be a debate," said the 63 year-old Marois.

Monday night was the first of three face-offs between the main party leaders with Premier Charest going up against the CAQ's Francois Legault tonight and a final showdown between Marois and Legault on Wednesday.