The Conservative Party of Canada has decided to hold a third leadership candidates’ debate.
Members of the Leader’s Choice Organizing Committee met Wednesday night and decided to hold a third formal debate, after a survey of members.
A party spokesman, Yaroslav Baran, said 24,000 members responded “overwhelmingly” in favor of a third debate. The event will take place somewhere in August — we should know the date later Thursday.
According to the party’s statutes, candidates in the leadership race are required to participate in “official debates”, on pain of a fine.
The candidates have already taken part in two official debates in May, one in English in Edmonton and the other in French in Laval. The campaign teams had however been informed by party authorities that there could be a third official debate at the beginning of August.
This debate will take place as the mail-in ballot is already underway and the party has begun to receive ballots completed by members in good standing. The event will also go ahead without Patrick Brown, who was disqualified from the race earlier this month due to an allegation that he violated federal election law, which he denies.
The results of the leadership race will be announced in Ottawa on September 10.
Former Quebec Premier Jean Charest urged party authorities to organize this third debate, and candidates Scott Aitchison and Roman Baber also demanded it. Leslyn Lewis’ team had said they would participate if necessary.
A spokesman for Pierre Poilievre, the frontrunner in the race, has yet to announce his intentions for a third debate. Earlier this month, Mr. Poilievre did not participate in an “unofficial” debate held in Alberta when candidates were all in Calgary for the Stampede.