Despite going up against a highly anticipated U.S. vice-presidential debate, the English-language election debate grabbed nearly three million viewers on Thursday on the three networks. (All numbers 2+.)

According to figures released by CTV, Canadians opted to watch the federal debate over the U.S. vice-presidential bout by a 3-1 margin in Toronto, 4-1 in Vancouver and 3.5-1 in Calgary.

CTV’s coverage drew one million viewers, followed by CBC with 853,000 and Global with 647,000. CBC Newsworld nabbed an additional 367,000 eyeballs.

The numbers are down slightly compared to the last leaders debate in June 2006, which saw CTV average 1.1 million, followed by CBC and Global with one million and 719,000, respectively.

The federal debate — hosted by Steve Paikin of TVOntario’s flagship current affairs program The Agenda — marked the first time that the Green Party and its leader Elizabeth May could participate. The discussion also featured Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Liberal leader Stéphane Dion, the NDP’s Jack Layton, and Bloc Québécois leader Gilles Duceppe.

Leaders sparred over arts and culture, with Harper defending his often-criticized fund-cutting approach, saying he ‘enjoys the arts immensely’ and insisting that the Tories increased arts spending overall.

‘When Harper says that the Canadian Heritage budget was raised, that’s true. But the part of culture within that department was reduced by 8%, so between 2006 and 2009, you’re minus $27 million before the cuts in the cultural sector,’ countered Duceppe.

Meanwhile, an eye-popping 70 million viewers in the U.S. tuned in for the debate between Senator Joe Biden and Governor Sarah Palin — more than the 52 million eyeballs for the first debate between Barack Obama and John McCain on Sept. 26, according to Variety.

ABC’s coverage ranked highest with 13.1 million, followed by NBC (12 million) and CBS (11 million). The telecast ran live on 11 broadcast and cable outlets in the U.S.