(OTTAWA) Conservative leadership candidate Pierre Poilievre is refusing to take part in a third debate, blaming the party for the “ridiculous” English-language first debate format moderated by a member of the “liberal media elite.”
Posted at 4:04 p.m.
The presumed leader of the race announced Thursday afternoon that he would not cross swords with his opponents a few hours after the announcement of the holding of a third oratory contest organized by the party. In doing so, he exposes himself to a fine.
“It’s not the campaign’s fault that the party’s debate in Edmonton was widely ridiculed,” announced the Poilievre campaign, before attacking the political formation, which had carried out a survey of members to to measure the appetite for a new oratory contest.
“The party chose a media personality from the Laurentian liberal elite [l’ancien journaliste Tom Clark] to moderate the debate in Edmonton. Instead of asking about policies, he asked pointless questions like, “What book are you reading?” or “What series do you binge-watch?” “, we scoffed.
We add that the moment is badly chosen, since it falls right in the last stretch of the race.
The former premier of Quebec, Jean Charest, urged the authorities of the party to organize this third debate, and the candidates Scott Aitchison and Roman Baber also demanded it. Leslyn Lewis’ team had said they would participate if necessary.
“Massive” support for a 3e 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.
The new Conservative leader will be known on September 10.